While I am harassing OH and LO in to clothes so we can get to the allotment, I thought I'd post a quick enquiry. Old shed on my site has a drawer with a few old seed packets. I haven't managed to look at these yet but did notice they included runner beans from 2003!Â
Any chance that these might grow - and save me having to buy?
There is a sort of permanent structure for climbers that I might try to salvage, and so although I wasn't really thinking about runner beans, I might give them a go.
Thanks
Ellkebe
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1995/3-3-1995/seedv.html
Give it a try - you;ve nothing to lose :)
Thanks for the link Tim - I will give them a proper inspection tomorrow and then maybe try that test.
The site itself is fairly cheap - and only half a year at the moment - but building and filling raised beds is going to add up so I need to watch the pennies where possible :(
Ellkebe
I know exactly how you feel mate. You take on a lottie and the capital investment is quite large to start off - you need a lot more tools than you do for a small back garden and a hell of a lot more things to grow. But hopefully everything you buy will last at least a couple of seasons and you can start to replace as and when.
When you are replacing as and when, as redclanger just said, make sure you don't do what I seem to have done and replace the inner foil of one seed packet inside the outer of a similar variety! I noted in my seed audit in January that I'd run out of sweetcorn (full size) but had plenty of mini ones as there was a large bulge in the packet. So of course bought more full sized ones.
You can guess the rest.
Grrr!!!!
moonbells (who's now had to plant her prepared rootrainers up with French beans instead, till she can get to a seed merchant)