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Runner beans
chrisaquaclean
Posts: 7
Hi there I'm new to the forum.
On gardners world last week Monty pointed out that it's too early to sow runner beans.
Just to say mine have been in since March.
We are located in South Wales at a height of 1200 feet but the advantage we have is the use of a very large South facing wall to which we attach the hazel poles, I know this is unconventional but it works for us.
On cooler evenings we unroll a fleece to protect from early frost.
I have enclosed two photos one of this years plants and one of last years as you can see from the latter
This method is quite successful.
Chris.
On gardners world last week Monty pointed out that it's too early to sow runner beans.
Just to say mine have been in since March.
We are located in South Wales at a height of 1200 feet but the advantage we have is the use of a very large South facing wall to which we attach the hazel poles, I know this is unconventional but it works for us.
On cooler evenings we unroll a fleece to protect from early frost.
I have enclosed two photos one of this years plants and one of last years as you can see from the latter
This method is quite successful.
Chris.
0
Posts
Once around four inches I place on a window sill of a unheated bedroom, a week later and they're out. (Planted on in buckets two parts soil to one part compost, see photo)
I use yogurt pots because of the depth which allows for vigorous root growth.
Nothing special, the young plants are treated quite harshly.
Having the radiated heat from that south facing wall, and the fact that the black buckets will absorb a lot of warmth, means that you have a good microclimate to suit runner beans ... lucky you 👍 I bet they take quite a bit of watering.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Resident 🐝' s waiting with baited breath!
With the great weather beans up around 8ft plenty of flowers.
Watering 3 times a day.
Sacrificial Gilliflower, Dame's rocket, Hesperis matronalis In full bloom ready to take the flack of many a caterpillar they seem to prefer these highly scented biennials.
Seems it all about preparation so much for provisos Nick!
I was given a handful of beans some years back & instead of keeping the seeds I planted & poped on a warm window sill above a radiator.
I didn't get any advice & didn't read any literature on the subject, which I wouldn't recommend.
As soon as I thought they were ready approximately 5 inches I shot them straight out!
At the time the garden wasn't cultivated & the only space available was on a South facing wall the only problem bedrock just below the surface hense the buckets!
At the time lots of gardners who past by informed me of my folly - hardening off what's that?
Over the years it's become something of a talking point as all the growers in the area plant out nearly two months after myself.
My beans have been out with snow on the ground, granted over the years I've tweaked my method as I cannot control the weather but it just goes to show sometimes the established thinking isn't always right!
To be fair yours is probably the better method as my way is labour intensive but it works for me.
Chris.
Just proves Wales truly is god's own country - unfortunately he's a rain god!