French beans and runner beans

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AmandaLouise

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French beans and runner beans
« on: April 24, 2012, 21:27 »
I was thinking of sowing direct under plastic cloches, is this feasible?

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catweazle

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2012, 21:29 »
id prefer sowing in toilet roll tubes them potting out with pop bottle cloches

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AmandaLouise

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2012, 21:41 »
I have no space left to sow now.  Under cloches, I mean strong plastic bottles I have saved, just trying to get out of more sowing indoors!

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lochnesslass

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2012, 21:54 »
i have some to sow too, is it warm/safe  enough to do so now? :)
these 2 take all my time, whatever is left the veggies get, poor hubby is at the end of the queue.

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mumofstig

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2012, 22:03 »
if you want to sow direct then you really need to wait until later when the weather is better ;)

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AmandaLouise

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2012, 22:09 »
I was thinking in a couple of weeks.  What do you think? Under bottles?

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Ice

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2012, 22:09 »
i have some to sow too, is it warm/safe  enough to do so now? :)
Short answer no, long answer, definately not. ;)
Cheese makes everything better.

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kermit

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2012, 22:53 »
I can recommend chitting (damp kitchen roll, sealed container, airing cupboard - check daily). Then once sprouting, chuck them in the ground. Works for me. Way too early yet though up here. Won't be chitting until mid may at earliest.

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shokkyy

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2012, 23:17 »
I always start mine in 3" pots, 2 seeds per pot, then plant each pair next to a cane when it's warm enough. I'll be sowing mine next weekend in my polytunnel. Last year I sowed them indoors, but got them hardening up outside as soon as they came up because they do grow very quickly.

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Ice

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2012, 23:20 »
I always start mine in 3" pots, 2 seeds per pot, then plant each pair next to a cane when it's warm enough. 
Snap. :)

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DD.

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2012, 06:56 »
Beans, unlike sweetcorn, don't mind a bit of transplanting. I start mine off at home in deep trays - yes - cat litter trays!

They are then transplanted once the weather is OK. I'll probably be doing mine today, a little earlier probably than I normally plan, but we're going away soon and I'd like them to be underway for when we get back.

I some years back, when for some reason, I can't remember what, I was short of plants. My mother picked some up off the market. There were 24 in a 6" pot, grown on top of the compost. They grew well, so don't be afraid of cramming them in a little.

Main thing to watch out for is that you don't start runners too early and you can't put them out because of the weather. One they put runners out and start to wind around each other, it's a devil of a job to untangle them.

There's another idea I quite like - I think it's Salmo's and that's to put one plant per cane AND one seed. This helps to stretch out the production season.
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?

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lochnesslass

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2012, 08:22 »
i have some to sow too, is it warm/safe  enough to do so now? :)
Short answer no, long answer, definately not. ;)
this is what my better judgement was telling me!


There's another idea I quite like - I think it's Salmo's and that's to put one plant per cane AND one seed. This helps to stretch out the production season.

hhmm like this idea a lot. ;)

Edited to tidy up quote
« Last Edit: April 25, 2012, 08:25 by DD. »

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mrs mud

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2012, 08:37 »
Oooo I too like this idea of one plant + 1 seed, excellent plan  :)

I don't normally sow green beans direct after one year losing the lot to slugs, planting them out when about 4 to 5 inches tall seems to work for me.

I'm liking the plastic bottle idea, now I just need a plan to stop them blowing away...I'm on Anglesey...AKA the windiest place on earth!
"Potters always play dirty!"

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Abbeyview

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #13 on: April 25, 2012, 09:02 »

There's another idea I quite like - I think it's Salmo's and that's to put one plant per cane AND one seed. This helps to stretch out the production season.

I have done this for some years now with good results, the only problem I have with runner beans is a poor germination rate, I sow "Butler" but always loose about 30 to 40%    I guess this expected as it says on the packet should provide 35 plants in average growing conditions and there were 54 seeds in the packet, anybody have similar results   :unsure:.
Retired but never short of a job.

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mumofstig

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Re: French beans and runner beans
« Reply #14 on: April 25, 2012, 09:53 »
There's another idea I quite like - I think it's Salmo's and that's to put one plant per cane AND one seed. This helps to stretch out the production season.

*ahem*
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=55218.msg654278#msg654278


of course other people do it as well  :D



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