[jambop]

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 .  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!

[al78]

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 .  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.

[jambop]

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 .  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

[New shoot]

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 

[mrs bouquet]

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

[al78]

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.

[cc]

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.

[jambop]

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.