Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: gunner on April 27, 2021, 08:59
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I've got some french bean plants I started about a month ago, I was hoping to have planted them out by now, but we're still having frosts (which is very unusual for us down in cornwall) I have been placing the plants outside during the day time and bringing them in at night. They are starting to look a bit pale now i'm guessing they,ve used up the nutrients in the compost should I be feeding them?, looks like we've got at least another 7-10 days of possible frosty nights at least before they can be planted out
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Yes, a liquid feed would be ideal :)
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This might sound a bit daft but if you have plenty of seed why not just start some more off? Another ten days is a long time in bean growth term and I am not certain that the roots will like being hemmed in to a small space and may not do so well when eventually planted out. On the other hand bean germinate very quickly so you have not lost anything provided you have the seed.
actually it is a salutary lesson there is not much to be gained by starting beans off too early because French beans a particularly fussy about the weather even down here in what could be termed good growing conditions for them they sulk if the weather is not to their liking. It is far better waiting until you are certain the weather will be more kind to them and they can grow unhindered by unfavourable conditions.
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Yes, a liquid feed would be ideal :)
A quick feed of MiracleGro would probably perk them up no end - once they're in the ground they should get away fine.
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Excuse me for jumping in here if I may, with my own bean conundrum: I planted my bean seeds last week in pots but I stupidly put them in a carrying tray before labelling :ohmy:!
I planted half runner 'Moonlight' & half purple french Triofono Violetto - will I be able to tell the difference when they shoot or would you advise carefully tipping them out now to check?
Many thanks for your help.
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I think the purple leaves will look a slight purple colour [why not plant a couple that you know the variety of to compare] good luck
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I'm sure any feed will help rejuvenate them.
It was a bit early in your case for sowing beans end of March.
I only sowed all my runner, french, dwarf french and flat type beans about a week ago.
All are now breaking the soil now and some like the french cobra are over an inch high already.
Beans germinate very quickly.
Have tried over the years putting out all kinds of beans as testers a bit early, but they do not grow any better or to be honest as productive than mid May planted ones.
We have plenty of sayings round here about when to get beans out, basically mid May.
Have always adhered to that rule along with sowing starts mid to end of April for sowing beans.
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I'm sure any feed will help rejuvenate them.
It was a bit early in your case for sowing beans end of March.
I only sowed all my runner, french, dwarf french and flat type beans about a week ago.
All are now breaking the soil now and some like the french cobra are over an inch high already.
Beans germinate very quickly.
Mine haven't. I sowed mine in modules indoors over two weeks ago and only a handful of them have emerged. I haven't started sowing the climbing variety. With the look of the medium range forecasts it won't be until well into summer at this rate before it will be warm enough. 2021, the year of the six month winter.
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My French dwarf and climbing beans took a bit to germinate, but when they did I put them out during the warm days but they went back in the GH at night especially with the frosts we've had here. No way will they be planted out yet.
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I'm sure any feed will help rejuvenate them.
It was a bit early in your case for sowing beans end of March.
I only sowed all my runner, french, dwarf french and flat type beans about a week ago.
All are now breaking the soil now and some like the french cobra are over an inch high already.
Beans germinate very quickly.
Have tried over the years putting out all kinds of beans as testers a bit early, but they do not grow any better or to be honest as productive than mid May planted ones.
We have plenty of sayings round here about when to get beans out, basically mid May.
Have always adhered to that rule along with sowing starts mid to end of April for sowing beans.
Different country I know but I agree with you. I sow my beans out doors when days of cold soil are past and this is usually about mid May down here believe it or not I have sown slenderette on a Monday and they have been through on the Saturday! The problem with French beans is that they will not grow well unless the temperature is right they just sit there doing nothing that is why I don't bother with the trouble of sowing early at least 75% of the time they don't do well.
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I'm sure any feed will help rejuvenate them.
It was a bit early in your case for sowing beans end of March.
I only sowed all my runner, french, dwarf french and flat type beans about a week ago.
All are now breaking the soil now and some like the french cobra are over an inch high already.
Beans germinate very quickly.
Have tried over the years putting out all kinds of beans as testers a bit early, but they do not grow any better or to be honest as productive than mid May planted ones.
We have plenty of sayings round here about when to get beans out, basically mid May.
Have always adhered to that rule along with sowing starts mid to end of April for sowing beans.
Always learning, this is my first full year growing veg, I've used the calendar here on the site, inputing my location, I have been following the suggested dates for starting different veg. For our location the calendar says the average last frost for us is end of march, but we had a touch of frost this morning (29th april) and the foecast says we might have a frost for a day or two yet. I think for next year I'll adjust the last frost date on the calendar by a couple of weeks at least. I will give the beans a feed as suggested, but I think I might start some new ones and plant them out as well as a comparison and see how they compare with each other
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Hi Gunner
It's always helpful if you pop your location in your forum profile (county/country) - since things vary so much depending on location.
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Hi Gunner
It's always helpful if you pop your location in your forum profile (county/country) - since things vary so much depending on location.
O.K will do
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I'm sure any feed will help rejuvenate them.
It was a bit early in your case for sowing beans end of March.
I only sowed all my runner, french, dwarf french and flat type beans about a week ago.
All are now breaking the soil now and some like the french cobra are over an inch high already.
Beans germinate very quickly.
Have tried over the years putting out all kinds of beans as testers a bit early, but they do not grow any better or to be honest as productive than mid May planted ones.
We have plenty of sayings round here about when to get beans out, basically mid May.
Have always adhered to that rule along with sowing starts mid to end of April for sowing beans.
Always learning, this is my first full year growing veg, I've used the calendar here on the site, inputing my location, I have been following the suggested dates for starting different veg. For our location the calendar says the average last frost for us is end of march, but we had a touch of frost this morning (29th april) and the foecast says we might have a frost for a day or two yet. I think for next year I'll adjust the last frost date on the calendar by a couple of weeks at least. I will give the beans a feed as suggested, but I think I might start some new ones and plant them out as well as a comparison and see how they compare with each other
Good idea to start some more off if you have seed. The thing is that F beans maybe take 12-14 weeks from sowing to harvest... with your first sown about half of that time will have been in a small pot I don't think that can be a good way to grow beans. For what it is worth don't get obsessed about getting things in the ground early think more about getting them in the ground at the right time so that they will grow without a nasty check due to bad weather because all that does is set the plants back and even reduce the crop. In the case of your beans it is far better to start them in late April and plant them out in mid May that have them ready to plant out in mid April and then not being able to because of weather. That is only my opinion though some people worship the god of getting early crops and will suffer failures to get possible results.
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The way the UK's extreme Spring is going it will be August before you can plant beans outside. ::)
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The way the UK's extreme Spring is going it will be August before you can plant beans outside. ::)
Believe me you are not alone! The spring weather down he has been very poor indeed. We have had a cold but very dry and sunny early spring and this last week has been cold and wet, now we needed the rain but it is only 12C just now which is 7 degrees below the average for the time of year. This is really a lesson for the early crop devotees, not that is will change them :lol: . But tell me what tomato is going to grow with night temperatures of 6C and daytime of only 12C ? Far better to leave the plants under cover until mid or even later into May and have a happier plant that will grow normally without turning blue!
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The way the UK's extreme Spring is going it will be August before you can plant beans outside. ::)
Believe me you are not alone! The spring weather down he has been very poor indeed. We have had a cold but very dry and sunny early spring and this last week has been cold and wet, now we needed the rain but it is only 12C just now which is 7 degrees below the average for the time of year. This is really a lesson for the early crop devotees, not that is will change them :lol: . But tell me what tomato is going to grow with night temperatures of 6C and daytime of only 12C ? Far better to leave the plants under cover until mid or even later into May and have a happier plant that will grow normally without turning blue!
12C? Luxury. Try 10C max overcast and 2-3C min overnight. It is basically like being stuck in March.
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The way the UK's extreme Spring is going it will be August before you can plant beans outside. ::)
Believe me you are not alone! The spring weather down he has been very poor indeed. We have had a cold but very dry and sunny early spring and this last week has been cold and wet, now we needed the rain but it is only 12C just now which is 7 degrees below the average for the time of year. This is really a lesson for the early crop devotees, not that is will change them :lol: . But tell me what tomato is going to grow with night temperatures of 6C and daytime of only 12C ? Far better to leave the plants under cover until mid or even later into May and have a happier plant that will grow normally without turning blue!
12C? Luxury. Try 10C max overcast and 2-3C min overnight. It is basically like being stuck in March.
Yes but it is all relative what we are getting is akin to February never mind March :lol:
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I don’t know the detail of the weather in the south west gunner, but in the south east we have had a fairly cold spring. Daytime temperatures have varied and the dips at night are less prolonged than winter, but cool days make beans sulk and those few cold hours before dawn are enough to see them off.
Early sowing is a gamble, but I have had french beans out on the plot by this time in other years. As Lettice says, they do grow really fast, so mine are still in the packet so far this year. If spring is cool, I concentrate on the crops that need a long growing period first. I have aubergines and peppers still in the house, tomatoes well wrapped up at night in the greenhouse and the squash and courgettes have just gone into the propagator in the last week.
I will give the beans a feed as suggested, but I think I might start some new ones and plant them out as well as a comparison and see how they compare with each other
May as well :)
You could sow in March every year, maybe get away with it, maybe not, but think it is worth a go. You could decide to hang on a bit in subsequent years. Either way, it will add to your gardening knowledge and experience and that is a good thing. The weather rarely plays ball and delivers a perfect season, so having the ability to roll with the punches and work round it is part and parcel of growing :)
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I never plant out beans and tenders until the end of may. Wasn't there an old expression "cast ne'er your clouts err May is out" I think it referred to gardening. Mrs Bouquet
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I never plant out beans and tenders until the end of may. Wasn't there an old expression "cast ne'er your clouts err May is out" I think it referred to gardening. Mrs Bouquet
Does that expression take into account the warming climate?
Actually it doesn't really matter. The point is that polar air masses are still cold in spring so any sustained wind with a northerly component will damage anything tender. April was a month with a very high frequency of cold airmasses which is (one reason) why it was an extremely frosty month.
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I am away for 2 weeks from May 14th. Just checked weather for Sunday looks like it may be okay to plant out then...may. If not just start again?, as in repot seeds and go on holiday. Someone will water them for me.
Have 32 tomato plants to go out as well. This year is turning into a pain.
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I am away for 2 weeks from May 14th. Just checked weather for Sunday looks like it may be okay to plant out then...may. If not just start again?, as in repot seeds and go on holiday. Someone will water them for me.
Have 32 tomato plants to go out as well. This year is turning into a pain.
It is all about the work you have put in to getting your plants to where they are now. It would be bad not to use them so why not take a chance and plants some or all of them out as it does not sound as though you have much to lose because you are going to have an insurance of some newly sown plants coming on while you are gone. What you could do is take some of the plants and pot them on into a larger pots to plant out on your return and plant out the others and just take the chance that the weather stays frost free. Frost is your worry but if there is none then you are doing fine and even if it is cold the plants will get over it.