GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Autumn-planted crops

14-10-2003, 09:44 PM

In article ,
(Andy Spragg) wrote:

but I gather autumn-sown plants are generally hardier

For clarification, you should sow only the more hardy varieties. Autumn
sowing doesn't *make* beans hardy

is it possible that they might germinate this side of winter?

It's what they're supposed to do. I sowed "The Sutton" in early November
last year and shoots were showing by the end of the month.

And if so, will they be killed off by the inevitable frosts?

If you plant a winter-hardy variety and you cloche them, probably not.
"The Sutton" looked a bit sick at -5 degrees C so I bottle-cloched them
and they survived. I also had Field Beans (a primitive broad bean mainly
used as green manure in gardens) completely unscathed.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com