[UrbanG]

Hi all,

As I am new to veggie gardening I think I may of been a bit premature with my runner bean crop this year.   

NB: Attached Picture.


Basically I sown some runner beans on the 11 March (13 days ago) into paper pots on the windowsill. I guess I was a bit eager to get going and didnt realise how quick they grow.

As you can see by the pic they have grown pretty well with the tallest on in the shot being 8" and visibily growing daily.

Questions:

I'm guessing that in another week or so the plants will be ready / the right size for hardening off in the cold house for a few weeks which would mean probs ready to plant out in the middle of April?

1: Is the middle of April far to early for planting out? I have since read that the best time is the end of May?

2: If I DID plant out in a few weeks time would they die off or if I left them in the cold house till the end of May would it ruin them?

3: Should I just cull this batch and sow indoors again at the end of April or something?

I only have room for 6 or 7 plants so I am really wanting to get them off to the best start possible to try and reap a good harvest.

Any advice would be great

Scott
(UrbanG)

[fletch]

Well this is just my opinion and I'm only suggesting what I would do, but I'd bin them and start again in the middle of April.

As you've seen they grow very quickly anyway and I doubt you'd be able to stop them getting really leggy by then.

They really don't like cold, I planted some out the 3rd week in May the year before last and then we had a cold spell and they sulked for ages and were nowhere near as good/strong as the ones I started much later the following year.

[Dave f]

My dad who grew vegetables for donkey years always said "sow 2 weeks later than it says on the seed packet".  I try to stick to it and it seems to work.  Mind you global warming might change this!

[Rangerkris]

Mine went in on the 29th of April last year people at the plot said it was way to early.  I got away with it as there was no frost.  If you put them in mid april you might have to protect them with some fleece and bubble wrap. 

Don't bin them take a chance you might just get away with it.  Plant them into bigger pots and leave in the cold frame

[tam]

I don't like to throw things away, so if it was me I'd probably stick them all in a flower bucket (lots of compost in the bottom) and pop them out in the greenhouse in the day and in the house during the night. They'll need canes for support soon. That way you might even get an early ish small crop and you can sow more later to go out in the ground.

No guarantees it would work but that's what I'd do

[Pompey Spud]

compost them and so they are than not going to waste.

I sow mine in pots mid April. Your further up the country so i would start a few weeks later.

[UrbanG]

Thanks everyone.

Right then.
I have made some new (bigger and better) homemade peat pots out of newspaper and twine and I am going to sow (again) indoors in the middle of April (3weeks) and then harden off in the cold house till mid may 'ish' ....  So I'm planning of having a good sturdy seedlings to plant out mid May?

In regards to my current early crop I am going to put them in some waste land at the rear of my garden (no idea who owns it?? probs just the council?) and if they take and grow on strong I will think about erecting some 'natural looking' support to maybe get extra harvest?

Thanks for your help
Scott

[JayG]

Sometimes that's what gardening is all about (hedging your bets, belt-and-braces or whatever you want to call it!)

You're bound to get something because runner beans are really quite forgiving once you get them going; enjoy the experience (and the beans!)   

[digalotty]

keep us informed on their progress i like to think they will make it

[Rangerkris]

With digalotty on this one let us know how they go.

[m1ckz]

hmmmm ive done the same lol,,mine are just peeping though,,only intended to sow a few to see what happed,,got excited and have about 20 ,,oh dear  oh dear,,

[noshed]

Don't worry - I'm usually the one standing in the middle of the plot with half a tray of seedlings wondering where to put them (usually I end up giving loads away).

[goodegg]

mineare just coming through but they are to plant in the cold greenhouse if you got room i would plant them in the greenhouse,two months to early for outside .