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Ed · 27-04-2007, 09:00 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

"Peter Robinson" wrote in message
...
"Lionel" lionel wrote:

"Peter Robinson" wrote in message
...

My first batch took 11 days flat from sowing to planting out (about
12-18 inches)

I do not believe that for one nanosecond!

Which bit?

I admit I didn't get my tape measure out before making that throwaway
remark, so maybe 18 inches is an exaggeration :-), but I did sow 24
seeds, two to a (large) pot on Tuesday 10th April and planted half of
them out on Saturday 21st. I planted them out because (I guessed) they
were in danger of needing support if I'd left them another week.

The last of the 24 hadn't even germinated until the 21st, so I'm
certainly not claiming that they were *all* 12-18 inches by then.

Sowing on a bright, warm, indoor, southish-facing windowsill during an
exceptionally hot and sunny April, surely it's no great achievement for
climbing runner beans to grow like stink? They have such huge,
presumably energy-packed seeds that you can practically see them growing
before your eyes on the first few days.

They've slowed down massively since they've had to fend for themselves
in the relative cold outside of course. The second half will probably
have to go in this weekend, but they'll have also slowed down since they
outside (but under cover) hardening off. The first half had to make do
with very abbreviated hardening off, which I'm sure they won't have
liked at all, but they haven't died yet...

Peter

Hope you don't have a frost