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Too late to start new runner beans?

ManderMander Posts: 344
in Plants
As I was watering a few things last night I realised that almost all of my runner bean plants have been eaten. I don't know why they haven't taken off this year as they did very well last year but so far the surviving ones are tiny and nowhere near flowering. I think I'll start off another batch of seeds anyway, but what are my chances of getting some edible beans?

Posts

  • chickychicky Posts: 10,400
    According to the Chilterns Seeds ad that popped up on my social media yesterday it’s still ok to sow both French and runner beans.  I’ll be doing some more French ones as soon as this heatwave passes.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,496
    I'd get them started NOW in trays or yoghurt pots with a good food supply and lots of water.  By the time they're big enough to plant out, dib a big enough hole to accommodate each seedling, insert a small amount of chicken manure pellets followed by the plant.  If you have something that'll make a 12inch deep hole alongside each one, e.g. a crowbar, it will enable you to keep a regular supply of water underneath the roots by filling the holes, maybe twice each day, with any surplus water you can find, even if you use the spent washing up water.  A few slug pellets will help?
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,682
    I dig a pit and half fill it with kitchen veg. waste/ farm yard manure before covering over with soil. I then plant my runner beans around the edge of the pit, sinking a pot into the centre to water into. This creates a reservoir for water and helps concentrate the moisture around the roots of the beans.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,496
    To JG's excellent advice I'd add a lining of newsprint to the pit to keep the water trapped.
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