[mashbintater]

yup I've seen ladybirds, bees & butteflies in my garden recently. Um early May last frosts here cos my nearest location is L'pool. Would that really mean I could plant my tom plants and flower seedlings out or am I being ambitious?  :blink:

Got my canes ready as DD described, just want to add some good compost to soil.

[yummy]

All our gardening experts at the local hortic college say never to plant out anything tender until June in order to be pretty sure of avoiding late frosts.  "ne'er cast a clout til May is out". 

My Grandads allotment was in Hornsea and he used to say the same. His runner beans went out first weekend in June 

[sunshineband]

yup I've seen ladybirds, bees & butteflies in my garden recently. Um early May last frosts here cos my nearest location is L'pool. Would that really mean I could plant my tom plants and flower seedlings out or am I being ambitious?  :blink:

Got my canes ready as DD described, just want to add some good compost to soil.

IMHO I woudn't even down here for a few weeks yet, as others have said 

[mashbintater]

Cheers for that Sunshineband & Yummy, the glorious weather we're having does lead me into temptation lol! I'll hold out as long as I can 

[Paul Plots]

Last year someone recommended starting off a few beans early on (about now or earlier) to plant out early to mid May, and then start the rest at 1st May, to be ready for 1st June planting out.

If there is a late frost the early beans will goners, but if not they'll provide an early start to the crop.

I agree with DD. Early planting does not necessarily = very early cropping

One year I went to quite a lot of bother to protect an early planted out row of runner beans.... I fixed plastic corrugated sheeting either side of a traditional apex run of bean poles. This was then topped of with fleece... the bean plants grew steadily and well despite some really heft cold nights.

My next planting out a few weeks later didn't need any protection as chance of frost had passed... I also removed the protection from the first batch.... growing sturdily they were.

First lot of beans planted out produced pickings no more than a few days ahead of the second lot of plants to go out. Only advantage to me was I could clear some space in the greenhouse --- oh, and boast to my neighbour that I had the first bean that year!! 

Things do catch up.... it all depends on temperatures and light I guess.... they can't grow that much quicker until the conditions are right no matter when they were planted out.

[Paul Plots]

I've seen loads of ladybirds too! 

I know I've probably missed it but what's ladybirds got to do with last frosts ? 

Honestly richy!  Some people just don't keep up!!

What have ladybirds got to do with frosts?  :blink: