Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: loobs61 on March 29, 2012, 13:31
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Is it too early to sow french climbing and runner beans in a very warm conservatory :unsure: dont want them to go all leggy cos I am to early.
thanks
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Definitely too early.
They germinate quickly, grow fast and are tender so you can't put them outside for at least 6 weeks yet.
I would wait at least a month before sowing.
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I agree with Steve - another month yet. I made the mistake a couple of years ago, sowed too early they got leggy and when I put them out the wind destroyed them all. I had to resow and those I resowed were ok.
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X3.
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strawberries are flowering
summer time
fishes are jumping
remember last April?
maybe lucky & early crop!
I have many seeds , just give them a go!
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I also remember the June of a couple of years ago!
What has the number of seeds you have, got to do with the OP planting now?
I dislike waste, especially my wasted effort, so I'm holding on.
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I agree definitely too early.
I sow mine during the last week of April, in pots in the g/h for planting out later. My first direct sowings are made mid May ;)
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I planted French beans early last year, lulled by the warm early spring. It turned cold. They died.
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And, to add to what others have said, once they've grown leggy they will intertwice. It's an impossible nightmare to try to disentangle them without damaging the stems.
Wait and you'll end up with better plants.
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According to one of the old boys in my local you should try to see a bean twice in May. Once early in the month when you plant it and again later in the month when it germinates.
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:lol: I like it!
but you are a bit further North than us doun souf 8)
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I planted my first sowing of runners a few days ago using my tried and tested system.
I start with a large tub or old bucket with drain holes in the bottom, and into this place a large carrier bag, making sure this too has drainage holes in it. Fill the bag two thirds full with compost or very well rotted dung, place the beans on top and cover with another two to three inches of compost.
Water well and push five 6 feet bamboo canes into the compost, one in each corner of the bag and one in the middle. Tie the canes near the top.
The tubs stay in my conservatory until germination and then they go outside in a sheltered sunny spot and only come back inside on cold nights or bad weather i.e. windy/ heavy rain.
By mid May the beans will be up to the top of the canes and the tubs are taken to the allotment. The carrier bags are lifted out of the tubs and with a knife a cut is made the entire length of the bottom of the bag and another cut at right angles up one side.
The is bag placed in a prepared hole and with a bit of care it can be pulled away leaving compost, beans and canes intact. I then erect a frame of 8 feet canes outside of the 6 feet wigwam allowing the runners to carry on upwards.
Hopefully the first tasty runner beans by July 1st!
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I sow dwarf french beans first. Mine are currently germinating in a cold frame. These go out when ready in the next couple of weeks and are quite happy under a cloche when needed. The french climbers go next but I won't sow these until mid April. Runners I'll sow by end April.
All my beans are sown in root trainers or pots and grown in a cold frame before going out
This sequence and timing has worked well for me
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I remember the photos of your carrier bags last year Gandan-- they did look impressive :D
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With all due respects to those who are desperate for an early start, I think the OP is after some simple advice.
In the main, that advice is "wait".
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With all due respects to those who are desperate for an early start, I think the OP is after some simple advice.
In the main, that advice is "wait".
Most don't even try sowing beans in March ---- noticed Aldi had some dwarf bean plants for sale yesterday (along with cucmbers, courgettes and tomatoes) :ohmy: :blink: :wacko:
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Most don't even try sowing beans in March ---- noticed Aldi had some dwarf bean plants for sale yesterday (along with cucmbers, courgettes and tomatoes) :ohmy: :blink: :wacko:
I noticed the same thing in our local garden centre this morning, they had runner bean plants just waiting to be bought by someone (along with lots of others)
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The garden centres will happily take your money, especially if you have to go back in a few weeks to replace the now dead plants. Good business if you can sell them to people who dont know better!
I normally have a planting session during the mayday bank holliday, thats when my runners and french beans will go in.
I like Gandans idea, but its too much work and hassle for me, and I can wait an extra couple of weeks, as I'm still running on frozen french beans from last year! ( a 9 foot row was too much!, itll be 6 ft this year)
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Beans in bags!
(http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa363/trevor3457/DSCF8207.jpg)
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oh wow, i like the plastic bag idea a lot.
going by the weather up here i may not be sowing until june! - it was trying to snow this morning...eeekkk.
i was going to sow early to mid may - indoors and harden off in the garage before moving out so i think this method will work well for me.
could you leave them in tubs that size to grow on (without the plastic bag)and feed them or do they need more ground space? i have 42 ltr trugs.
any pics of them in the ground?
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This was June last year, hence no canes in the bags. I started the beans in the carriers because where they are being transplanted had early potatoes up until then.
(http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa363/trevor3457/DSC00655.jpg)
(http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa363/trevor3457/DSC00656.jpg)
You can certainly grow them in containers, but they will need copious amounts of water.