Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi there

This is our first year with an allotment and so far the pots,onions and garlic are coming on just fine!

I got some runners and dwarf french beans started at home (2 weeks ago) and the runners are huge and quite tall - they look a little 'drunk'. I understand that they need to hardened off but as we don't have a cold frame, I have been keeping by our balcony door in our flat.(I am not sure if this is right!)

Anyway, we were going to take them down the plot today to leave overnight and possibly put them in tomorrow but it's pouring with rain!

Any ideas on what to do as the leaves have turned in slightly and I am worried that they need putting in the ground.

Many thanks
Giley

you could pot them on.as we are due a few cold nights coming up.then plant them out at the end of may beginning of june.or plant them out now and cover with fleece til warmer nights come again

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joanne culyer

Thanks Jo Jo..

They are in peat pots at the moment.. if we were to pot them on, will it harm the roots?

They are so tall I think I need to use some pea sticks to keep them up

just be careful with them.as the roots will need more space now

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joanne culyer

OK.. mmmm, I have just checked and the roots are coming through the peat pot... shall I still pot them on?

I wouldn't plant them out yet (though others have)...nights are still cold for Runnners. Pot on if you can and give them a support to wind up.

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

Is it too late to sow my runner beans in pots now ? Or should I sow them straight out in the beds?

I've been meaning to get them in pots for a few weeks but because weve been away haven't got round to it ! Naughty me .

margo

I have some bean sticks to help them, so I will give that a go...

I am not sure about potting them on though as I worried that I might damage the roots as they have come through the pots

The roots will be fine, just be gentle with them!

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

No you can still sow into pots.....I always sow into pots and plant them out when there bigger and more able to withstand attack!!!

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

Thanks for that Joanna. I think that will be my job for this morning. My little grandaughters are coming later so that will enjoy sowing the beans in the pots !

margo

How lovely! It's great when children like to plant things....have a good afternoon

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

Well, I went to the garden centre, bought some bigger pots and we have just potted the runners on... we have used a support too & will leave them in the sunshine by the balcony door.

I am hoping that now we have given the roots room to move, they wont be so lanky. Would this be right?

Hopefully we can put them in next weekend, when we have some time.

Thanks all for your help

Whereabouts do you live? I planted my potgrown runner beans out today in Suffolk, and unless we get a frost they should be fine. BTW you can edit your profile to show where you live (county will be fine) - this helps enormously when replying to queries as weather conditions vary so much from region to region.

Hi there

We live in Kent... I was hoping to get the runners beans out but we have been busy with family commitments, so unable to get up the plot. Fingers crossed we can get up there one night this week!

Afternoon all

The runners are going mad by the day and we were hoping to get down the allotment tonight and put them in. The only thing that was worrying me was not being able to harden off the plants - is this essential? If so, could I take the plants down there, leave on the plot covered in fleece (in case of any frost), then plants them on Sunday, when we are next available?

Any help would be greatly appreciated...

We also have some dwarf french beans - do these need hardening off and also a support when they have been planted out?

Thanks

Giley,
I know you said that you have already potted on your beans, but for the future, the magnificent thing about peat pots is that you din't have to remove the plant from the pot. Just pot into a larger pot or the ground intact. Give a good soaking and the pot will gradually break down and become a built in fertiliser. The roots will just carry on growing through the pot until the pot gives up - no root disturbance!!
Many grapes here are very anti peat pots (they come from an unsustainable source - but so does petrol, gas and most of the UK's electricity!!!!!) I think they are great though..
Good luck with the runners.
Tx

Thanks for you reply... the reason why we have had to take the runners out from the peat pots is because they had really grown out of the pots and needed more space!

Anyway, we cannot plant out until Sunday as we are going away but I have taken them up to the allotment & covered them with the fleece. I thought that this would be the only way to harden them off as we are unable to bring them in at night.

Thanks again