French beans - How long?

[kethry]

Isn't it called moon gardening?

*giggles* who knows.. all i know is i ain't doin' it!!!

[rana]

My first batch are already planted out and the next lot will be sown today. With so many seeds in a packet it is worth the risk of planting early as they can be easily replaced.

[gojiberry]

Will be taking a chance and planting out dwarf french bean plants this weekend. Will give them a bit of fleece protection. If we get a frost now there will be an awful lot of ruined potatoes as everyone got potatoes up on the lottie. Most people on the lottie have also direct sown runner beans already.

Ian

[kate&rob]

planted mine in paper pots about 2 weeks ago in an unheated green house. i soaked them over night first along with my peas and some more broadies but there is no sign of them yet. might have a bit of a poke around in the pot later to see if anything's happening.

[coreopsis]

Checked the temperature when I got up.
1.5 degrees and cars with nice frost pattern on the roofs.Plant whatever you want,I'll wait at least another week.

[StephenH]

Oo-er - I sowed mine weeks ago, and have just planted them out, under a plastic-sheeting cloche, with the ends up during the day. Should I have waited? They're about 6" tall.

[SarzWix]

Depends when your last frost date is Stephen, mine isn't til mid-May-ish.
I really wanted to know how long they take to get to planting out size, I guess I'll have to time them myself and write it down for next year

[Flummery]

I've sown some of my heritage ones that seem to need a long season - especially if I'm harvesting them for dried beans. I'm happy to take them in and out of the greenhouse and back to the dining room every day for a few weeks. Most of them aren't yet sown though.

[Lottieval]

I've tried early direct planting in previous years but if it turns wet and cold they don't germinate, just rot. Waiting for those in GH to show themselves and finding it difficult to resist having a little poke around! The only time I sow direct is when want to keep the supply going and put more in July/Aug - or to replace those the rotten slugger buggers have eaten.

[Mike and Louise]

We sowed our French and Runner beans in a heated propagator on April 5.
They were big enough to be moved into the unheated greenhouse to harden off on April 13.
They were transplanted into the veg beds on April 19 (a month earlier than last year) but they are doing well.

Photos and stuff on our site if you want a look.

M&L

[Alison]

Sowed my climbing ones on 4 May last year in root trainers in a cold greenhouse. According to my records they were all through by 11 May and romping away. Planted out about 3 weeks after sowing and had a good crop through to the frosts despite a rubbish summer. Will be following a similar plan this year.

[Flummery]

We sowed our French and Runner beans in a heated propagator on April 5.
They were big enough to be moved into the unheated greenhouse to harden off on April 13.
They were transplanted into the veg beds on April 19 (a month earlier than last year) but they are doing well.

Photos and stuff on our site if you want a look.

M&L

Daren't do that here - we can get hard frosts until mid-May.

[Mi Jardín]

I sowed my outside yesterday, that way they can come up when they want, but then we are only going down to 5-8 degrees overnight here so its not that risky.
I can't remember the last time we had rain let alone a frost!

[jogette]

I planted out 8 climbing french beans today 'Blauhilde' which germinated indoors on 12 April. It's the first time I've used them and couldn't believe how quickly they grew - they're like triffids!
Hopefully we won't get any sharp frosts now, but I will be planting more indoors - just in case - and also sowing direct outside in a couple of weeks.

[Lottieval]

I've grown 'Blauhilde' for the last two years, great beans, the fact that they're purple but go green on cooking fascinates people, good flavour and never get tough. Mine are just showing after 11days in cold GH. The only problem I had was in salt laden gales last year, burnt the first lot to bits, same with the runners, but that's cos we live close to the sea.