Runner bean query (I think they are doomed)

**zazen999** · 20-03-2011, 04:02 PM

Can you pop them all in one morrisons' bucket and put them somewhere light but warm?

You can see now why we tell people not to sow too early!

**phil the shed** · 20-03-2011, 04:05 PM

Originally posted by Jamesy_uk View Post

Well, unfortunately for me I only found this website a couple of weeks ago or I would not of make the mistake in the picture below.

Will I have to bin these 'Scarlet Emperor' or if I placed them in my parents cold greenhouse with some fleece might they still make it until they can be planted out? I wasn't really expecting them to grow as they were mistreated seed from last year but as you can see they are monsters in less than 3 weeks and it would be a shame to bin them.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1069110...88251550797826

i think they may be doomed........
if you put them in the cold greenhouse the shock may stunt them. resticts growth and any you plant in a month or so will catch them up and be strong for all the right reasons.

other more well renowned grapes may be along when the suns gone in with better advice..
good luck...

**Chef_uk** · 20-03-2011, 04:08 PM

Wow, I thought I was early with most of my seeds but haven't even thought about starting the runner beans yet :/ Hope you manage to save them.

**Jamesy_uk** · 20-03-2011, 04:08 PM

Yes, I can manage to find them a home in my parents conservatory maybe.
To be honest it was all my own fault I went into Hoebase and B&Q looking at prices for grow bags etc and saw they had plants out for sale already a few weeks back so I thought well why not like the uninformed person I am.

I only started growing last year, as you can see from the picture I have very little garden space so its mostly in bags and I did 6 runners from that variety and got a freezer draw full and loads fresh so I jumped the gun in my eagerness. Infact runners and bag potatoes were my only success last year, everything else went badly including to my shock tomatoes which just up and died just before flowering.

**Jamesy_uk** · 20-03-2011, 04:13 PM

Originally posted by phil the shed View Post

i think they may be doomed........
if you put them in the cold greenhouse the shock may stunt them. resticts growth and any you plant in a month or so will catch them up and be strong for all the right reasons.

other more well renowned grapes may be along when the suns gone in with better advice..
good luck...

I was expecting that verdict really, Middle of April sound about right for starting again? Shame they aren't like pea shoots and good eating

**Potstubsdustbins** · 20-03-2011, 04:26 PM

James,

You may well have to plant again mid to late April depends where you are (could you put your location up).

However don't bin them just yet. First I would give them some support then let them go root bound in the pots they are in now, this will slow them down a bit. Then like Zazen has suggested get some morrisons black buckets repot and put them somewhere warm but light. You never know you might just have the earliest runners on the forum.

Good luck Colin

**Lotsaveg** · 20-03-2011, 04:47 PM

Still loads of time to re-sow in a greenhouse. I only planted the first batch of my seeds yesterday. The next batch will be sown in 2 weeks and then a third 2 weeks after that. I then plant seeds into the ground when I plant outside.

**Two_Sheds** · 20-03-2011, 06:53 PM

Whereabouts are you?

Runners can't go outside until after your last frost date. Count backwards about 3-4 weeks and that is when you can sow them in pots

**VirginVegGrower** · 20-03-2011, 07:48 PM

We had late frosts with beans in green recycling boxes last year. We fleeced every time there was a frost and this ensured perfect plants and lots of beans. But you are very early as has been said already.

**mrpaulbradley** · 20-03-2011, 09:07 PM

[QUOTE=Jamesy_uk;825551]Yes, I can manage to find them a home in my parents conservatory maybe.
To be honest it was all my own fault I went into Hoebase and B&Q looking at prices for grow bags etc and saw they had plants out for sale already a few weeks back so I thought well why not like the uninformed person I am.

It's a real travesty that these stores have plants out on display so early. It's really confusing to most folk and almost criminal as folk are really wasting their hard earned cash.
Don't take it too hard. I'm not all that experienced myself and have learned loads in the past few years. You know that old saying - nothing ventured..etc

Enjoy your growing

**Kristen** · 20-03-2011, 10:16 PM

Originally posted by Jamesy_uk View Post

Yes, I can manage to find them a home in my parents conservatory maybe.

A permanent home? You would probably get an early crop from them without too much trouble.

But don't plan on keeping them to plant outside. They grow like fury, will all tangle round each other, and will be 6' tall by the time it is safe to plant outside.

They don't like the cold much, so trying to cheat by growing then early-ish (mid-April) means they go out 3 weeks later in what is still quite cold at night, and you have to cover them over with fleece if there is a frost. The flowers rarely set well if they form early ... so you may get early beans in a good year, or your plants may be killed by a late frost at worst.

Maybe grow a few "early" for the end of the row, and then the main batch at a time that is "safer"

I also sow some Climbing French beans which tend to start cropping earlier.

I don't sow mine until 1st May.

**Jamesy_uk** · 21-03-2011, 12:26 PM

Thanks for taking time to reply folks, I have composted them all apart from my strongest one just to experiment a little.
I have added location and few more details as well, main reason I have gotten into Veg growing was when my Wife fell pregnant I vowed to give my son (now 14 months) as much homegrown chemical free food as I could grow.
Out of curiosty, along the side of our house we have a concrete driveway into the back garden (unused) about 20 yards long and was wondering as its partially shaded what I could put in pots/bags there as it gets a little wind swept sometimes?

**FionaH** · 21-03-2011, 12:46 PM

Salads or perpetual spinach would be good

**Lotsaveg** · 21-03-2011, 01:14 PM

I'd be inclined to try troughs of carrots so you can have a constant supply of tender baby carrots

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Runner bean query (I think they are doomed)

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