[Ivah]

I posted my solution on this thread

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=54336.msg645598#msg645598

[tontom]

i always do seedlings with no problems , just put my seeds in 3 " pots yesterday and popped them in the greenhouse to start them off. Last year i chitted them first with a lot of success.

[missycat]

Just seen your original post...13ft bed, double row of beans ....I hope you're feeding an army or have a HUGE freezer

[andreadon]

Just lost all of mine to frost during last week..I had put plants in and protected them with plastic bottle 'cloches'  but, sob sob, all are now brown and shrivelled.

Thankfully I have some more plantz coming though in my shed, but I am very annoyed...

that sounds familiar!

I'd been very careful with my beans - had them growing inside, wanted to wait till june, but they were really growing long and tall and had no supports, so I thought, it's okay, it's 11th may, they'll be fine if i wrap some cardboard round them.
so, we put them in the ground, cover the bases with mown grass, tie string to the top of the pergola etc etc.
went inside to have tea and completely forgot to put the cardboard round them! 
and that was the night there was a frost round here, so in the morning they were all dead. (apart from 4 which were behind the clematis and seem to have survived)

start again!! (that goodness I have loads of bean seeds left!) 

[Ice]

Best defence for your runners?  Try this. 

[Salmo]

I always sowed direct but, following several disasters, I now sow in modules and plant out. One big advantage is that when you plant out the ground is, or should be, clear of weeds.

As well as slugs and birds the seedlings can be eaten by bugs in the ground. One of the worst is Bean Seed Fly which attacks beed seeds in the ground. If they survive and come up the leaves are all tatty and often one is missing. French beans seem to be more affected by this pest than runners.

You could put one bean in the ground by each stick and grow some more in modules to plant with them later to see which you like best.

[stompy]

I always chit first then either plant in pots, or if im planting out direct i plant them so when they come through (usually 1-2 weeks)  it's either the last week of May to the first week of June.
Then there is pretty much no risk of frost damage, i also use organic slug pellets for potection from the slimeys, it says on the tub that they are none poisonouse to family pets children or other wildlife.
Their not as effective as the propper ones but i don't usually have a problem other than clearing up all the dead bodies. 

[Redgoat]

A tip I heard a few years ago was to start off runners in a plastic bag filled with some wet compost and leave it for a couple of weeks.

I had a go a couple of years ago and the result was ok.
However, I also planted some into modules and these were much stronger and healthier. I've stuck to that method ever since.

[skywalker]

Pardon my stupidity but exactly how do you chit runner beans?

[SUTTY1]

i've always found seedlings are best {tried direct plantig too}and only had hassle from slugs!!!!!

had amazing success with beer traps this year hundreds caught already!!!!  hedgehogs, birds, frogs etc all safe, my only woory is the might end up alcoholics eating the catch,lol, 

[stompy]

1. Get a carton with a sealable lid.
2. Lay a piece of folded kitchen towel in the bottom and wet it.
3. Place your bean seeds on the kitchen towel.
4. Now lay a second piece of kitchen towel on top of the seeds and once again wet it.
5. place lid on the box.
6. Leave for aproximately 4 days to a week and you should start to see a small white root beggining to emerge.
7. place the now chitted seeds either in a pot or directly into the ground if it's the right time to sow outside.

And thats it, I use this method for chitting all my chittable seeds  :happy:

[SUTTY1]

ment to say chickens end up as alcoholics