Hello,
I would like to start off my braodbeans this weekend - I was planning on germinating them indoors on a sunny windowsill and then putting them out in my cold frame in a few weeks time before planting in their final spots. I'm trying to get a really early crop (that's why I'm not putting them in the coldframe from the start - given last year's experience germinating them outside in cold weather, I assume this would add quite a few weeks to their development... Has anyone used this indoors + coldframe technique, and if so, was it okay? thanks for any help/advise!
morning rox, you shouldn't have any problem and the beenz will appreciate shelter especially from wind early on. I did read somewhere that they prefer it to be cold, ie they don't germinate so well in summer, so even if your windowsill ain't sunny you should be OK. Mine are in a cold (unheated) room in toilet rolls, started off earlier this week. Just remember to harden them off gradually in your cold frame, I am often too impatient and they keel over when planted out :-[
Cool is preferable, a windowsill at this time of year is probably ideal, as it wont be too warm.
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/factsheet/beans/ (http://www.thompson-morgan.com/factsheet/beans/)
Mine are sown in trays in an unheated greenhouse, last week, so that they have protection from the cold winds.
I'm hoping to grow broad beans for the first time this year. As I've a limited amount of 'prepared' ground - just can't seem to get the digging done because of continual low back problems :(.....I've bought 'The sutton' which is a dwarf variety.
Because I've no greenhouse, garage, or cold frame (live in a flat but do have a tiny patio - out of any sun tho!! I'm anticipating sowing them straight into the ground but should I consider possibly starting them in seed trays or pots and putting them on my one & only spare cool (no sun at all) window sill (once I've got my seed potatoes out of the way)....however, if I do that....how do I 'harden them off' without the aid of a 'cold frame'??
Does this mean I can't/shouldn't grow them?
Would welcome some advice please....H.P.
You'll be OK planting in the ground if you can Hot_Potato, and you've picked the best variety around ;D (join the 'I love the Sutton' club!). If you wanted to start them indoors, take them outside during the day to harden them off when they have two to four true leaves, bringing them in at night, for about a week, then plant out with some cover just in case. But they are hardy beenz, if your soil is workable and you're short of space, bung em in - the biggest danger is meeces, rather than cold!
They can be planted in the soil once this very cold spell has finished. You could start them on your windowsill as soon as possible and once they are up start to harden them off by putting them on your patio in the daytime and bringing them in at night. Alternatively you can make a perfectly adequate frame for hardy veg out of a cardboard fruit or veg box from a supermarket covered in polythene or bubblewrap at night. ;)
What a good idea LArkspur!
:-[
Ahem...Stupid question...
How far down the loo roll do I put the Broad Bean??????
Planning to do it NOW, never done the Broad Bean/Loo roll thing before!!
I have been using boxes like that for years grawrc but I think the credit for the original idea must go to the late, great Geoff Hamilton. :)
I liked him a lot. He had great gardening ideas.
Katynotso newbie I have never used loo rolls, but I would imagime you plant them at whatever depth is recommended on the packet - for my Super Aquadulce that's 5cm.
;D
Lol... thanks grawrc, will see what happens!!
Maybe notesonewbie on here, but still know very little!!!
;)
Yes, and inparticular he came up with some great money saving ideas. It was from him that I learned how to raise tender seedlings in a cold greenhouse by keeping the seed trays in fruit boxes (again) and bringing them back into the house every night till the temperatures improve. You can stack the boxes six high. Lot of seedlings!. ;)
Wow - what a lovely quick response to my question - thanks everyone.....got another query now after reading this from S.S....the biggest danger is meeces, rather than cold!....silly question I know but.....is there anything I can do to 'deter the little darlings??
Haven't got any of that fab. fleece stuff I hear you all talking about but could get some - would that help or restrict their growth - or does it gently move upwards as plants grow? (said it was a silly question :-[)...how long would I leave it on if I do use it?
Oh and what a great idea Larkspur - your tip about the 'home-made' cold-frame....will have to go & have a 'chat' with nice man in Waitrose who kindly gave me a few of their empty flower buckets (one of which is over my rhubarb right now ;)
H.P.
Have heard of people putting mouse traps along the row, but not sure I could cope with that!!
Thats why I am starting them off in pots etc instead of sowing direct, think the little darlings go for the bean seed rather than the plant.
Yes, in pots or seed trays, raised perhaps on a bench or table so the mice cannot get to them. Once they have germinated and have a couple of inches of growth, then they can be planted out. The only other pest I have heard about is squirrels, but I have no knowledge of how much a problem these are.
Yes my greatest problem is mice. I have some kitchen units fitted in my shed and I made the mistake of leaving some broad bean seeds and French bean seeds in a drawer. They have transormed into mice droppings. ::)
I thought of putting them in loo rolls on staging in (cold) greenhouse but if they can climb up inside the units in the shed I'm sure they could climb up there too.
I have heard that merely chitting them before planting is enough to prevent mice getting them. Not been brave enough to try though and started mine off in pots at home.
Quote from: katynewbie on February 03, 2006, 16:39:42
:-[
Ahem...Stupid question...
How far down the loo roll do I put the Broad Bean??????
Planning to do it NOW, never done the Broad Bean/Loo roll thing before!!
Not a stupid question at all. I did the loo roll thing for the first time ever this year and guessed it - with B Beans - at about 1/3rd the way down. two & 1/2 weeks later they're standing proud.
6 out of 8 have come up, the tallest being a good 3 inches, the shorted about an inch. All in all I'm pretty chuffed and feeling a bit smug (always happens when some gardening actually *works* instead of keels over and swiftly dies!)
Thanks Red Clanger. I'll try a few of them like that and see what gives. I'll try to remember to report back on success or otherwise.
I think the birds took mine last year, as fleecing stopped it -I'm not sure it bothers mice.
Jeremy
Oh dear - after reading some of the latter messages - wondering if there's any point in sowing them straight into ground, cos of the meeces - mind you, don't know if they're a problem up at my lottie plot but imagine they would be......
now R.C.....you mentioned 'merely chitting them'.....how would you go about that I wonder??....just lay them out on a tray or something - do you need to lay them on something damp like kitchem paper maybe or would they just 'sprout/shoot' without that like the potatoes do?......can see what you mean about being brave....suppose they could just 'dry/shrivell up' :'(
Sorry meant to type sprouting (getting my potatoes tomorrow). I think; soak them then put them somewhere to sprout - not too warm apparently for broadies. Once they have sprouted, sow as normal. I do not know whether it works and my neighbour had all his shoots taken off at ground level. It won't prevent that.
It's like sprouting any kind of bean - you can get your fill of sprouting bean tips at http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,28/topic,15759.0
The only difference is you plant your beans when you see the sprouts first show, the eating ones you'd sprout for a few more days.
he he Hot_Potato, did you find the compost in your loo rolls sank as soon as you watered them ;)
The mice must have had all of mine last year, as I put them in during November and not one (not one!) came up. I sowed three in pots in the greenhouse and these are doing nicely. I had planned to put them straight in the ground at the end of the month but now I might start them off inside, too.
Does anyone start early peas in lengths of guttering in the greenhouse and how does this work? I find the mice and pigeons are very fond of pea seeds, too.
All my beans went under their own milk bottle cloche! That sorted out the meeces!! ;D
Another excellent suggestion Thanks. Cut of coke bottles will do I suppose.
Just so long as they are big enough to allow for growth :)
I think they probably are maybe ??? last time I looked.
Thanks, Flowerlady, I'll give it a go. We've got tons of plastic drinks bottles because my husband likes fizzies. I tend to save them to cloche anything that looks sad in early Spring and to go over the runner beans when I plant them otherwise the snails have them all. I never thought of using them for broad beans but I haven't had this problem before. (The mice in November must have been extra hungry, I suppose). :(
My Autumn/winter sown ones in the allotment are sticking their heads up now -and so far they've bben left alone. I did stick a bit of fleece over some of them just in case, but the others are surviving too.
J.