Don't be downhearted all you impatient gardeners, It's a good thing to be optomistic. I've been gardening for yonks and still sow things much too early knowing full well that I'll probably have to do it again. But sometimes, just sometimes it pays off, the weather is kind and it makes you feel great! Anyway, the winter is too long and seed sowing fingers get very itchy
Although there is a danger of frost up until about the third week in May (dates depend upon your location - we are in Lincolnshire) that doesn't mean there necessarily WILL be a frost, so my advice to anyone with triffid beans would be to construct your wigwam (or whatever you grow the beans up), plant them out at the base, and stick in a spare seed on the other side of the base, as you can probably plant them direct outside now. If there is no frost you are laughing, but if there is and the first plants die, replacements will soon be up. Also, I have put some tenders out under 'mini-cloches' made from cutting up plastic water bottles.
our beans in the greenhouse have just popped through and are about 2ins tall.They should be ok to go out in a couple of weeks. Then I can have enough space to pot up my hanging baskets....Its cold here and nothing outside is moving yet. Thank goodness for cold frames as well as the greenhouse. I am not sowing tomato seeds this year - will just buy a few plants in a week or so.
I have runner beans raring to grow up a cane but have put them outside in my plastic cold frame with the lid shut. Hopefully they will survive. Also cucumber plants are doing well. I am inclined to plant them out under plastic bells. Going on holiday next week for two weeks so its a bit of a "do or die" situation.
I think we were all fooled into thinking spring was here back in March with that warm spell. That's what set me off planting too early. I was hoping for an earlier than usual harvest, but realise now that's not really possible. Just trying to get a new lot of runners to chit on some damp kitchen roll in the airing cupboard!
My second lot of French beans have been in the cold frame for a couple of weeks- I give them a fleece duvet overnight. First lot are out in the garden under cloches. Runners still in the greenhouse, they'll go in the cold frame after the weekend. The weather seems to have bypassed summer, doesn't it?
I'm so pleased to have found this forum. I too have been slightly impatient and have runners too large for my windowsill (and a multitute of other things that are now waiting to take their place!) I have now opted to put them outside in my rickety cheap plastic growhouse... fingers crossed they survive and don't outgrow that - I like the idea of planting out in a week or so and putting an extra seed next to them to safeguard against the weather!
lets all hope for some decent weather soon! I find the trouble with cold frames is the slugs and snails. We have tried pellets, grit, and coffee grounds but nothing seems to work.
Posts
Don't be downhearted all you impatient gardeners, It's a good thing to be optomistic. I've been gardening for yonks and still sow things much too early knowing full well that I'll probably have to do it again. But sometimes, just sometimes it pays off, the weather is kind and it makes you feel great! Anyway, the winter is too long and seed sowing fingers get very itchy
Although there is a danger of frost up until about the third week in May (dates depend upon your location - we are in Lincolnshire) that doesn't mean there necessarily WILL be a frost, so my advice to anyone with triffid beans would be to construct your wigwam (or whatever you grow the beans up), plant them out at the base, and stick in a spare seed on the other side of the base, as you can probably plant them direct outside now. If there is no frost you are laughing, but if there is and the first plants die, replacements will soon be up. Also, I have put some tenders out under 'mini-cloches' made from cutting up plastic water bottles.
our beans in the greenhouse have just popped through and are about 2ins tall.They should be ok to go out in a couple of weeks. Then I can have enough space to pot up my hanging baskets....Its cold here and nothing outside is moving yet. Thank goodness for cold frames as well as the greenhouse. I am not sowing tomato seeds this year - will just buy a few plants in a week or so.
I have runner beans raring to grow up a cane but have put them outside in my plastic cold frame with the lid shut. Hopefully they will survive. Also cucumber plants are doing well. I am inclined to plant them out under plastic bells. Going on holiday next week for two weeks so its a bit of a "do or die" situation.
I think we were all fooled into thinking spring was here back in March with that warm spell. That's what set me off planting too early. I was hoping for an earlier than usual harvest, but realise now that's not really possible. Just trying to get a new lot of runners to chit on some damp kitchen roll in the airing cupboard!
I have just put my runner & dwarf beans in my mini greenhouse and am on standby in case I need to sow more.
I'm so pleased to have found this forum. I too have been slightly impatient and have runners too large for my windowsill (and a multitute of other things that are now waiting to take their place!) I have now opted to put them outside in my rickety cheap plastic growhouse... fingers crossed they survive and don't outgrow that - I like the idea of planting out in a week or so and putting an extra seed next to them to safeguard against the weather!
This week I shall be sowing runner beans into pots for planting out in 3/4 weeks.
lets all hope for some decent weather soon! I find the trouble with cold frames is the slugs and snails. We have tried pellets, grit, and coffee grounds but nothing seems to work.