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Abject runner bean failure, too late to start afresh ?

muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 239
in Plants
Just before heading off to Scotland for a couple of weeks I sowed some runner bean seed. 2 per pole plus a few spares in between. Expected to see them happily climbing the sticks when I returned but absolutely no sign of them above ground or below. (A friend did water for me)
Now I must own up to having used a packet 3 years out of date but don’t usually find that a
problem ; however it seems to have been this time !
So is it too late to use some plants from a nursery if I can get some ?

Posts

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Your harvest will be later than usual, but I can't see why, if you can find plants in a nursery, they shouldn't perform ok.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Yes if you shove’ em in asap 
  • muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 239
    ok thanks folks. I will see if I can get some tomorrow and get them planted promptly… fingers crossed 😁
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    For maximum chances of success with your new plants, I'd suggest you dib largish holes for each one and sprinkle a mini-handful of chicken manure pellets into each one before inserting the plant.  If there's a chance your soil could be slightly acidic, a couple of grains of granular lime in each could also help, but wouldn't do any harm anyway.  Pic of homemade square dibber to facilitate attached.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    The seeds might come up yet.

    My experience of friends watering gardens is that they do it on the very last day.  THat is direct personal experience and observing neighbours' gardens.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 239
    well bede my friend watered everything else well so I have no doubts there.
    they won’t show now as there is no sign of the beans in the ground !
    that is very high tech nick compared to my dibber !
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    I sowed a packet of up to date dwarf french beans and not one came up. So last week sowed some different one in pots indoors. Germination is good so over the weekend will transplant them out. Yes the harvest will be later but that is what we wanted.
  • muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 239
    update …
    I bought some French bean plants and put them in during July. I’ve had a marvellous harvest and they are still cropping heavily so I will do the same next year ! 
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