Good morning
Is it too early to put runner beans in yet?
Mine are coming through in pots in the unheated greenhouse, neighbours on the allotment plots have got theirs planted out.
Frost will kill them off but if you cuddle them up in fleece or bubble wrap, they should be fine. Frost at this time of year is usually slight because of the wonderful long days.
More problems with slugs I would suggest
I try to plan mine so they go out on the 1st of june.
That way hopefully the risk of frost as gone 8)
I've put mine out because they'd grown much quicker this year and were getting too large for their pots (I was also running out of space in the greenhouse). They are protected by fleece and then bubble wrap as well. I've planted them out successfully, with protection, in early May before but there is always the risk of a frost. But if there's no frost damage you get an earlier crop and can extend the cropping season by successional sowing up to the end of June - and runner beans are my favourite vegetable so for me its worth taking a risk
I would hold off until June, but several on our site have them out already... if the hot Summer we have been promised has arrived they will be OK, if not more sales for the association replacing them!! ;D
Quote from: saddad on May 01, 2009, 08:05:58
I if not more sales for the association replacing them!! ;D
Saddad, I sense.....now I may be wrong......that the words sales and association are at the front of your mind at present :D
::) Moi...
If you've got more seeds I'd stick the ones you've got in pots in out now but sow another load in case they get frosted.....
sowed mine two days ago in root trainers, their support was erected yesterday, the weather has been lovely but don't want to be caught out, if they are ready to go out in three weeks and the weather is still fine I'll put them out with the plan to fleece if there is the odd frosty night.
Here in London, first lot sown mid-March (root trainers in heated propagator) have been out under fleece/enviromesh since 5th April (before you ask - fleece on the north side, enviromesh on the south).
Will be sowing main batch in GH tonight to go out in 3-4 weeks but I'm running 2-3 weeks behind last year's schedule partly because of disorganisation but mainly because the cold spell seemed so prolonged sowing didn't feel right.
Planting out depends on where you are and whether you can be sure to get some fleece on if frost is likely.
Barnowl - we are in Chessington(Hook), so not a million miles from you - had a couple of nights ground frost this week and almost all those who had put out their runners lost them.
I'm going to wait until after 7 May - supposedly the last possible day for Frost around these parts. Mind you, has someone told Jack Frost about dates etc? I doubt it!
:)
Gonna try mine in stages as i grow q a few :D
Starting tomorrow so the ones in greenhouse now need to get out of their pots
then i will use pots again to put a second lot in the green house and again once their out one more lot
:D
I am going to plant mine around a wigwam. How do I protect these, diagrams please!!!
Quote from: chippy queen on May 01, 2009, 15:51:13
I am going to plant mine around a wigwam. How do I protect these, diagrams please!!!
Try just wrapping the fleece around the plants and the structure.
After my disaster with overwintering aquadulce claudia broad beans, I'm not going for it. I'm with saddad..............waiting until June.
I have a few plants outside thoroughly cloched up. Though I lost a few the previous week by getting them too hot during the day. It is a bit of a gamble. If you win you get a few beans in June/July. The plants are usually weaker than the later ones.
Some years I have managed runner beans on the 1st June. I put up a wigwam of poles and then another wigwam round that which I cover in cling film, this can then be cut away and the surplus poles moved when it get warm enough. It is also possible to throw an old sheet over the whole thing if you get caught with a cold night, but this means removing it every morning, I manage this in home plot but cannot get to allotment daily.
We have had two frosty nights this week, but somehow the person in the next plot to me, has managed not to loose their beans.
If you don't mind loosing them try planting a few out. I keep my own seeds, so there are plenty of spare.
Mine you the bees seem in short supply for every early beans so you may also have to hand pollinate.
I'm waiting for a while . The canes are up and waiting for em though. I am growing several different sorts this year(thanks to a few A4A members.)
Same here Shirl. We've got 40 canes up so we can try lots of different ones & obviousy give lots away ;D ;D ;D.
Janet
I sowed a few on the 23rd and a few more today direct, they are sown very deep in council compost, I've took a chance as overs on site have sown theirs and we've had no frost since the back end of March. :-\ ??? ;D ;D ;D
I always wait till mid may here in Glasgow before I plant out my young plants which I sow mid April. It should be OK down the south of England now I reckon.
I will be sowing french beans as a first this year. Cobra - up wigwams. I hope to sow them over this next week in pots.