Allotments 4 All

I got some of these seeds recently and have no idea when to sow/ if to start off inside etc. Has anyone grown these and could offer some tips? Ta  :)

Plant them in pots of compost late April so they can go outside late May. I grew them up here two years ago with much success. They do prefer a bit of heat.

I tried these last year.I put them direct into the ground.Only a few germinated and grew well but i will have another go this year. :)

I have massively more success growing beans/peas in pots than I do directly sowing.

Same here - start all my beans off in root trainers in a cold frame and then plant out when no threat of frost. The only exception really is broad beans.

Dwarf Borlotti and climbing borlotti types have both done well in previous years. I have a new borlotti variety (from memory think its Lamon) from seeds of Italy to try this year - was tempted as said it was the best borlotti bean.
;D

for outdoor sowing it depends where you live. We are in the SE and sow dwarf borlotti outdoors around mid-April (say end April in the Midlands, mid-May in the North?).

We sow double the number we will eventually need (about 4 inches apart). We thin them out to 8 inches and transplant some of thinned ones to fill in any gaps. Be sure to keep slugs at bay.

I sow all beans inc broad beans in pots
Grew borlottis last year,sown as for runners and they really struggled with the wet early "summer", and a poor crop. A much later sowing (really just about too late - 5 or 6 weeks) cropped much better, managed to pick them just before the frost

Thanks all. I will plant them in pots in a couple of weeks. I am looking forward to seeing how they turn out! Now need to find some yummy recipes...  ;D

I grew borlotti last year in my garden.  They grew well even though they were labled as a French Climbing bean, they were most definately not (waste of a perfectly good Teepee! :D)! They reached maybe 2ft high so am thinking Dwarf.  I know better for this year  ;D.  The taste was smashing though.

I was sent some climbing borlottis last year, take a look  ;D

Sowing and growing....I treat them exactly as I do runner beans - no probs, 100% success 8) Grow the 'climbing' sort.

i presumed they would grow really tall- i didn't know you could get a dwarf variety. Unfortunately I have no instructions on the packet as I got them from a local seed swapping event. I'll presume they need a teepee though as I need all the practice I can get in making them!

My nextplot neighbour was given  some beans last year off one of the Italian lotties and he left them on the vine ( as per Scousers pic ) I saved some beans off them so I will be planting and eating them, do you eat them as per runners.  ;D ;D ;D

 I just ordered some dwarf borlotti beans which i am planning to sow in potting shed. I thought i might intermingle them with my flower border as the variety i have chosen has striking red and white pods. Very attractive i thought. Spotted them in this months gardeners world mag grown in hanging basket. :)

Quote from: cornykev on March 28, 2008, 19:39:32
My nextplot neighbour was given  some beans last year off one of the Italian lotties and he left them on the vine ( as per Scousers pic ) I saved some beans off them so I will be planting and eating them, do you eat them as per runners.  ;D ;D ;D

you can eat them fresh like runners, ck..or leave them and shell to eat the beans fresh, freeze them for soups and stews or dry them as well..we did all of the above

Cheers for that.  :-*    ;D ;D ;D

Grew loads last year and will try to grow even more this year! They're great! You can either grow and eat them as a sort of pod beans or let them go to seed and use the beans themselves. The beans are great in bean salad or in stews.

Grow them like runners or frenchies.  Eat them like broadies.  Delish  :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P