Hi folks!
It's my first year with my own allotment plot :) I've grown a few things at home for the last couple of years but this year it's on mass!
I've got some runner beans that I sowed at the beginning of April but they have grown like crazy in this mild weather we have been having. They reach from my window sill to the curtain rail already! I can't keep them inside much longer!
Would anybody risk putting them out yet? Given the mild weather and global warming (!) could I get away with it?
Very risky! You planted too early, but I wonder whether trimming them back would help?
Hi! Thanks for the suggestion... I thought it was important you kept the growing tip on runner beans? If not.. It sounds like a good idea!
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,30353.0
Eristic has.
If you take out the growing tip, then it branches and you end up with even more beans.
Hmm.. More beans sounds good! On the other hand.. If I get them in early they can get some good roots down.. What to do.. As it says on Eristic's post, I can still sow again and start from scratch! It could be exciting taking a bit of a gamble! The seeds were free and I have plenty left! (Saved from last year :))
What to do. what to do...
First you must harden them off. From the moment mine germinated, they were carted outside every morning and retrieved each night except the last few nights. Plants left indoors soon become soft and are unable to handle the slightest breeze.
Planting out now is a risk, a severe risk and allotments generally tend to be much colder places than back gardens. It is still early in the season and more beans can be sown in pots for early planting, and beans can be sown direct in the ground in about 3 weeks time yet still produce early crops.
Thanks for all the advice folks. I think I'll cut the tips out and see if I can delay them a bit. In case that fails, I will sow a few more but only a couple of weeks before I plan on putting them out this time!
I have just looked and you are 600 feet up in the middle of Yorkshire with a high risk of May frost.. Why not shove a seed in next to your plants, if you plant them out, and then another in two weeks, that way you cannot fail and save the messing around with pots!
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_Beans_Runner.html
PS My lowest night-time temperature last May (on the 22nd) was 6.5 at sea level. 3 or 4 below that means frost and that means Holmfirth.
Also a good idea!
The plot is on a south facing slope so it's nice and warm during the day but maybe not at night!
normally the end of may is the safe period
'Safe'!!
'Safe'!! I agree Tim
My plot was white over this morning glad my runner beans are still in the packet!!
Despite all my iffing & butting, I put 3 French Bean ('Algarve') plants out under cloche today. Just ready for the frost on Saturday!!
Quote from: tim on April 19, 2007, 17:35:40
Despite all my iffing & butting, I put 3 French Bean ('Algarve') plants out under cloche today. Just ready for the frost on Saturday!!
what frost on Saturday
metcheck for us sk17 6lp doesnt show any frosts for 2 weeks - however it showed a -5 on May 3rd this morning but has since changed its mind!
I managed to resist putting them in! I've taken some of the length off the longest ones. Let's see what the weather forcast looks like at the end of next week :)
this frost caper is worrying me,I'm down in Cwmbran in south wales and the weather has been like august for the last 2 or 3 weeks i have had to put out my sweetcorn,courgettes,beans etc because they have grown too well and too big for the pots i just hope and pray all my hard work has not been in vain. this is my first full year with a plot and I'm just too eager probably. no doubt all you seasoned gardeners who no better have probably not even sown the above yet!