Hi all

As per usual, I started by runner beans off on a window sill about 2 weeks
ago (Scarlet Empire).
They are already about 6" tall and will need planting out soon - I do not
have cold frame or green house.

We have recently had frost and hail here - East Yorkshire 3 mile from Humber
Bridge - elevated location - there are no signs of a warm up!

Some time ago while visiting some open gardens, I noticed one guy had
covered some climbing plant with cut off pop bottles (neck uppermost).

So the climber is protected to a height of 8-10", then has to make its way
out of the narrow neck before continuing its journey skyward.

Has anyone else tried this with beans - is it recommended?

Thanks

Phil

"TheScullster" wrote
As per usual, I started by runner beans off on a window sill about 2 weeks
ago (Scarlet Empire).
They are already about 6" tall and will need planting out soon - I do not
have cold frame or green house.

We have recently had frost and hail here - East Yorkshire 3 mile from
Humber Bridge - elevated location - there are no signs of a warm up!

Some time ago while visiting some open gardens, I noticed one guy had
covered some climbing plant with cut off pop bottles (neck uppermost).

So the climber is protected to a height of 8-10", then has to make its way
out of the narrow neck before continuing its journey skyward.

Has anyone else tried this with beans - is it recommended?

Good grief, I won't be planting mine until May and even then they get a bit
leggy before they can be planted out.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"TheScullster" wrote in message
. uk...
Hi all

As per usual, I started by runner beans off on a window sill about 2 weeks
ago (Scarlet Empire).
They are already about 6" tall and will need planting out soon - I do not
have cold frame or green house.

We have recently had frost and hail here - East Yorkshire 3 mile from
Humber Bridge - elevated location - there are no signs of a warm up!

Some time ago while visiting some open gardens, I noticed one guy had
covered some climbing plant with cut off pop bottles (neck uppermost).

So the climber is protected to a height of 8-10", then has to make its way
out of the narrow neck before continuing its journey skyward.

Has anyone else tried this with beans - is it recommended?

Thanks

Phil



What a superb idea. So simple ;-)

Mike


--

....................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

....................................

On 16/04/2012 08:34, Bob Hobden wrote:
"TheScullster" wrote
As per usual, I started by runner beans off on a window sill about 2
weeks ago (Scarlet Empire).
They are already about 6" tall and will need planting out soon - I do
not have cold frame or green house.

We have recently had frost and hail here - East Yorkshire 3 mile from
Humber Bridge - elevated location - there are no signs of a warm up!

Some time ago while visiting some open gardens, I noticed one guy had
covered some climbing plant with cut off pop bottles (neck uppermost).

So the climber is protected to a height of 8-10", then has to make its
way out of the narrow neck before continuing its journey skyward.

Has anyone else tried this with beans - is it recommended?

Good grief, I won't be planting mine until May and even then they get a
bit leggy before they can be planted out.
I always sowed mine in the warmth to get an earlier crop. However I got
fed up with them getting too leggy before I could plant them out, so for
the last 2 years I have sown direct in the open ground, but obviously
later. Both times I have had sturdier plants and no appreciable
difference in their cropping dates. so it is outdoor sowing for me now on.

--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

In article ,
Bob Hobden wrote:
"TheScullster" wrote
As per usual, I started by runner beans off on a window sill about 2 weeks
ago (Scarlet Empire).
They are already about 6" tall and will need planting out soon - I do not
have cold frame or green house.

Good grief, I won't be planting mine until May and even then they get a bit
leggy before they can be planted out.

Er, yes. I have just started germinating mine, and will then put
them in paper pots (7" high, 2" across). But even very hardy plants
aren't growing very fast outside, because of the temperature. It's
not going to be an early start to the year!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Moonraker wrote:

I always sowed mine in the warmth to get an earlier crop. However I got
fed up with them getting too leggy before I could plant them out, so for
the last 2 years I have sown direct in the open ground, but obviously
later. Both times I have had sturdier plants and no appreciable
difference in their cropping dates. so it is outdoor sowing for me now on.

I used to do that but, for some reason, got up to 95% failure rate
(inspection of the seeds showed insect damage and fungal infection,
but both could have been secondary). Growing indoors, I get a 95%
success rate.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 16/04/2012 09:48, Moonraker wrote:
On 16/04/2012 08:34, Bob Hobden wrote:
"TheScullster" wrote
As per usual, I started by runner beans off on a window sill about 2
weeks ago (Scarlet Empire).
They are already about 6" tall and will need planting out soon - I do
not have cold frame or green house.

We have recently had frost and hail here - East Yorkshire 3 mile from
Humber Bridge - elevated location - there are no signs of a warm up!

Some time ago while visiting some open gardens, I noticed one guy had
covered some climbing plant with cut off pop bottles (neck uppermost).

So the climber is protected to a height of 8-10", then has to make its
way out of the narrow neck before continuing its journey skyward.

Has anyone else tried this with beans - is it recommended?

Good grief, I won't be planting mine until May and even then they get a
bit leggy before they can be planted out.
I always sowed mine in the warmth to get an earlier crop. However I got
fed up with them getting too leggy before I could plant them out, so for
the last 2 years I have sown direct in the open ground, but obviously
later. Both times I have had sturdier plants and no appreciable
difference in their cropping dates. so it is outdoor sowing for me now on.


I always sow mine directly outdoors nowadays. For one thing it is a
whole lot easier and less hassle than messing around with pots of leggy
bean plants. Secondly, because I sow my own bean seeds saved from the
previous year I've got tons of them, so don't care if any die or get
attacked with frost anyway because I can plant more seeds. I've also
found that the bean seeds are quite smart anyway and don't stick their
heads above ground until they decide the soil is warm enough. I planted
mine a couple of weeks ago, still not up but they will emerge when they
are ready. I tend to get around 95% germination rate and way more beans
than I we can eat and freeze.


--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

On 16/04/2012 08:31, TheScullster wrote:
Hi all

As per usual, I started by runner beans off on a window sill about 2 weeks
ago (Scarlet Empire).
They are already about 6" tall and will need planting out soon - I do not
have cold frame or green house.

We have recently had frost and hail here - East Yorkshire 3 mile from Humber
Bridge - elevated location - there are no signs of a warm up!

Some time ago while visiting some open gardens, I noticed one guy had
covered some climbing plant with cut off pop bottles (neck uppermost).

So the climber is protected to a height of 8-10", then has to make its way
out of the narrow neck before continuing its journey skyward.

Has anyone else tried this with beans - is it recommended?

Thanks


You're far too early. So early that pop bottles aren't going to help
you. I suggest you abandon these and sow some more at the beginning of May.

In article ,
says...

Hi all

As per usual, I started by runner beans off on a window sill about 2 weeks
ago (Scarlet Empire).
They are already about 6" tall and will need planting out soon - I do not
have cold frame or green house.

We have recently had frost and hail here - East Yorkshire 3 mile from Humber
Bridge - elevated location - there are no signs of a warm up!

Some time ago while visiting some open gardens, I noticed one guy had
covered some climbing plant with cut off pop bottles (neck uppermost).

So the climber is protected to a height of 8-10", then has to make its way
out of the narrow neck before continuing its journey skyward.

Has anyone else tried this with beans - is it recommended?

Yes I have, but for runner beans this is too early to do it. My garden
can have frost up to the first week of June, so I time bean seeds to be
planted in May (depending on forecast) and give them an open-top plastic
milk bottle when they get planted out.Cut off the top few inches of bottle
and the place where the handle was, is a hole for the cane. I think the
opaque plastic of milk bottles gives the tender new leaves better
protection from sun scorch (In May here, we often get warm sunny clear sky
days followed by very cold nights)

Young RB's (and bush beans) really hate getting chilled, and even if
they don't die they will go a bluish tinge and growth stalls just as they
should be racing up the poles. IME they never properly recover after a
chill setback. All of which happened last year.

Janet

wrote in :



But even very hardy plants aren't growing very fast outside, because of the
temperature. It's not going to be an early start to the year!




Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


Yes to that!
Very frustrating after the almost summer conditions of February.

Baz

On Apr 16, 12:03*pm, Baz wrote:
wrote :



But even very hardy plants aren't growing very fast outside, because of the
temperature. *It's not going to be an early start to the year!



Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Yes to that!
Very frustrating after the almost summer conditions of February.

Baz

Plant up several in a bucket size pot or container; you can plant then
fairly deep; stand it outside in the day and bring it in overnight if
there is any chance of frost, pinch out the tops when you have 2 pairs
of true leaves, this will give you bush plants and will give you what
we used to call ground beans, earlier than climbing plants.
David @ the sunny end of Swansea Bay

On 16/04/2012 09:51, wrote:
In ,
Bob wrote:
"TheScullster" wrote
As per usual, I started by runner beans off on a window sill about 2 weeks
ago (Scarlet Empire).
They are already about 6" tall and will need planting out soon - I do not
have cold frame or green house.

Good grief, I won't be planting mine until May and even then they get a bit
leggy before they can be planted out.

Er, yes. I have just started germinating mine, and will then put
them in paper pots (7" high, 2" across). But even very hardy plants
aren't growing very fast outside, because of the temperature. It's
not going to be an early start to the year!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Well it is a lovely sunny day today in Normandy, though a bit of a frost
this morning, quite a change from all the rain of the last few days.
Most of the potatoes are around 4 inches tall now, so I've given them
their first hoeing up.

Noticed that half a dozen runner bean plants are already up in the
garden, they may find it a bit nippy still. Don't care if they get
frosted though, I'll just put more seeds in where there are any gaps.

A few broad beans are up too.

My onions are doing well as are the cauliflower seedlings, bit of slug
damage on a few, but nothing serious. Noticed the little navet turnip
seedlings have small holes in the leaves already - possibly flea beetle?

Harvesting lots of chives and garden (land) cress for salads. Still
picking leaves from the curly kale planted last year - that is a really
resilient and long lasting brassica.

Picked the last of the leeks before they ran to seed.

Got around 30 sweetcorn seedlings in small pots under polythene doing
well, they'll be planted out in a few weeks time.

Courgettes, tomatoes and cucumber seedlings doing well indoors on the
window ledge.

Good day in the garden today. :-)

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.