Allotments 4 All

Hi everyone, I have just got an allotment so new to all this. I have made one huge mistake already I have planted my :( ??? runner beans seeds in pots far too early and they have germinated and are about two inches tall already !!! should I plant out and cover with fleece to protect them from frost although I live in south east so not much frost now or should I throw away and start again a little later - could do with a little advice


cheers trotty

hiya, trotty, welcome to the site..bit early for runners i think but no doubt an expert will be along soon.. ;D

They don't like any frost at all.

I just leave the old roots in the ground for several years but they don't spring to live until May.

Don't throw them away, can you get them into  bigger pots and maybe give them a little stick to climb around, I often don't put mine out till they are over a foot tall , keep them in a cool place..not frosty, just cool, that will slow them down a bit,it's a waiting game really, or if you havea huge pot plant some around the edges and give them some support, I use an obelisk, I then keep this pot in the greenhouse till the weather is really nice before it goes out,by that time they are almost flowering, we get very early beans that way.

2 things to think about, and don't worry we have all done it.

XX Jeannine

It will be at least a month before my beans go in.

Its far to cold and still a risk of frost for some time yet

Quote from: RW on March 28, 2008, 19:19:49
They don't like any frost at all.

I just leave the old roots in the ground for several years but they don't spring to live until May.

So, you can grow these as perrenials?

An iffy business - in my experience.

I won't be sowing mine for a couple of weeks, should then be on schedule to go out in the second week in May.

plant in bigger pots, wait until they have 4 or more leaves on then pinch the tops out this will then or should sprout new side shoots from the base of the leaves this will slow them down a little

If you have more beans left I would not worry about having wasted a few if they don't survive. Runner beans can produce large crops - you might have plenty with just a few plants.

Quote from: Sparkly on March 28, 2008, 19:50:14
So, you can grow these as perrenials?

Yes growing as perrenials works fine - saves the bother of planting seeds each year.

Hi everyone , thank you for your advice on my runner beans. I will try to keep them in larger pots and pinch out to hopefully slow them down and if they dont work out I will plant more at the end of April anyway. Thanks again I will let you know how I get on- please keep the advice coming !!

Em

I planted mine at the end of May last year, it will depend on how hot it is though this year.  ;D ;D ;D