Mushy Runner Beans

[quinny]

I tried to sow some runner beans from an old supply from last year.  I think I probably should've soaked them overnight first but chose not to in my eagerness. 

Only one fertilised and is now about 5 inches - is it work planting 1 runner bean?  Seems a little pathetic really...  so I thought anyway...

Could be a magic bean though...  :D

[quinny]

[tim]

Don't know but, last year, we sowed on 5th May for planting out 25 May.

Oh, yes - put it out, but it will need protection.

[sandersj89]

In my opinion one runner is not worth it.

However, having said that it is not too late to sow more now. Indeed mine only started to germinate yesterday.

I never soak, I plant inpots or root trainers under cover and then plant out in the open after frost.

When I plant out I also push a fresh seed into the ground to accompany the seedling. This spreads the crop out a little.

Jerry

[philcooper]

None of my frost tender stuff, runner & french beans, cus, marrow, squash or sweet corn is sown yet - it will go in the propogator this weekend to be hardened off and planted out at the end of next month to avoid the possibility of frost

Phil

[quinny]

I think that's solved it, I'll sow some more this weekend and give it a better shot. Any tips on successful sowing of runners?

[tim]

Nice idea, Jerry.

[ruudbarb]

Hi Quinny - I notice you abide in sunny Falkirk and wouldn't have thought you would be expecting to plant runners out until the risk of ground frosts is over or at least only slight.  I guess this might be as late as early to mid June so by sowing in pots in mid-may ought to be plenty early enough.  Runner beans will race away once the weather warms up and will often overtake plants sown too early giving far better yields as a result. 

I live in north Wales and we have had a touch of ground frost on a couple of mornings this week, so I don't usually sow mine until the last week of April in pots under glass, for planting out in May when they are about a foot high.

[Alimo]

Thanks for the tip Jerry - I'll be doing that when I plant out my pot grown ones.  :)

Alison

[redimp]

I have heard that burying the seedlings (or earthing up) up to the first leaves really benefits runners and significanlty increases bushyness and yield.

[ALAN HOWELL]

Some years back I had lotsa probs germinating runner beans,then an old gardener told me to fill a large pot about
2/3 full,water it thoroughly,place the beans on the soil,cover them with 1/1/2" soil and don't water them again until they show.I have had no probs since. ;)   Alan

[quinny]

This info is great guys.  I not had any frosts here for quite a while, I intended to put them out in May.  I think I'll still do this but I'll also put in a fresh seed with the seedlings as suggested.  I'm also definitely trying your propagation tip Alan.

Cheers ;D