[rock_chick]

I've already planted my beans out, and they are doing great. But then again we do live at the very tip of Cornwall, so we don't get any frost after March 

[JayG]

I've already planted my beans out, and they are doing great. But then again we do live at the very tip of Cornwall, so we don't get any frost after March 

I think that's bordering on Scilly!!!   

[DD.]

Bean there!

[chris23005]

Unless we have a heatwave (night and day!) starting next week don't be tempted to move your plants out of that warm, humid, still atmosphere straight out into the great wide world. Try and harden them off by any available means for at least a week.

I'm sure we are all getting fed up and a bit desperate (experienced growers and newbies alike) but the later it gets calendar-wise the more important it is not to do anything reckless; we need to play catch-up and there is very little time left to start things off all over again!
[/quote]

Don't worry - they are having regular trips outside, but as soon as I detect a slightly chilly wind they come back in! Thinking about it I am working a lot next week as it is exam invigilation time again so I reckon it will be the week after next that they get their permanent homes - frost permitting of course!

[Paul Plots]

Thermal jackets for runner beans?

Has anyone a design idea? If we have another Spring like this one it might sell well! 

[Swing Swang]

Learner - The next best thing to a thermal jacket is to run a tunnel cloche between your beanpoles - you can give your french/runner beans a headstart without worrying too much about late frosts and get a catch crop up the middle too. Obviously the cloche has to come off before the beans start to want to climb, but if they have become particularly vigorous and you don't want to take the cloch off they can be pinched back as they'll sprout quite readily. Works particularly well with french beans (and to a lesser extent with runners) and late April/early May sowings as you can push another bean next to each stick late May/early June.

SS

[Salmo]

Why erect poles before the beans want to climb. Certainly if the beans are sown directly in the ground this allows you to hoe round them easily and put protection on. Just have to be careful not to tread on any when sticking the poles in.

Runners can be pinched out for as long as you like and they will put out more runners. If your cossetted plants have grown yard long main shoots before planting out it is better to take out the main shoot so that they put out more shoots and the flowers start lower down. It used to be the fashion to grow runners without poles and keep pinching them out. This gave an early crop but not such high yield and curly beans.

Even under cloches the frosts we have had this week have clobbered beans and courgettes.

[Swing Swang]

>Even under cloches the frosts we have had this week have clobbered beans and courgettes

My beans are OK, and my courgettes (cold frame) look unscathed

[Digger Tom]

 My Shallots & Radishes have weathered the frost rather well. My potatoes took a good clobbering but I am hoping they will bounce back.

 My dwarf beans are still at home getting hardened off outside each day & I have just planted a load of sweetcorn seeds. These will be going out in early June , maybe later.

 ps- what do I do about the spuds that have been frostbitten? Remove the dead leaves or just leave alone?

[Swing Swang]

>Why erect poles before the beans want to climb

At least three reasons:
Mainly because I erect them when there's not much doing in the garden. By the time they want to climb there are 101 jobs to do. I sow my beans on the inside of the beanpoles so they do protect the emerging beans from my hoe. Poles in before germination causes no root damage.

SS

[diggerjoe]

As I have not been able to get to the plot and been thinking of nothing but my early pots a collegue took pity on me last night after a late meeting and drove me up there - Ahhh my poor earlies the tips of the mains caught it but I'd earthed up at the weekend - having no fleece handy my collegue suggested covering the rows with rhubarb laves in case of another frost - as I'm willing to give anything a try and some of my rhubarb leaves are 3ft across I covered three rows of earlies and gave my collegue the rhubarb. Not fleece but it looked quite good. 

[dexyblue]

Potatoes and beans visited by Mr Frost 

[green fingers]

Loads of damage on our site.  I covered my potatoes with hessian and some have leaves have been frosted. Others have lost the lot.  Yet the frost only went half way up the site!

I decided on wigwams for my beans and sweetpeas and am pleased I did.  I have wrapped them round with fleece(secured by pegs) and they all have survived.
Peas have had no covering and are ok - but not tremendous growth. Beetroot ,garlic, cabbage and cauliflower unaffected.
Metcheck says there is still good chance of frost for the next 3 days - so will resist the urge to remove the messian from the spuds

[Paul Plots]

So far - no problems.

Frost came and went leaving swathes of burnt potato tops (covered mine with grass so they look ok). Also some people decided to plant out their runners and French beans - not wise. 

[boosh]

There was a lot of damage on our site to experienced members as well as newbies, i had my beans and squashes in the greenhouse covered up with bubble wrap and they still got  hit by the frost which was a lot worse than they said,
but on a plus side checked them all yesterday the squashes are still green in the middle only the big outside leaves got frosted a few beans survied the sweetcorn looks fine. fingers crossed losses should be slight.
Will heed DDs advice but next year will plant more stuff direct, which means waiting longer before you sow anyway