Runner beans for sale

[Primrose]

I was amazed to visit a garden centre today and find trolley loads of runnner bean seedlings on sale in the usual small trays. I can't imagine that they can be planted outside yet for fear of frosts. What on earth are people supposed to do with them in the meantime? (I only sowed my first batch of climbing bean seeds yesterday). Do people pot them on individually and store them in a cold greenhouse for a while as a means of getting an earlier crop?

[alan refail]

A cynical answer would be something like this:-
garden centres often sell tender bedding plants, runner beans, courgettes, tomatoes, cucumbers etc far too early, in the hope of selling to the unwary. After all, if the plants die, they'll be back for more.

Alan

[Multiveg]

I don't think the buyers for the diy-style garden centres know anything about gardening.
I used to grow cacti (well, they now live in the greenhouse at my mum's) and recall going to one garden centre -some of the cacti were sharing their pots with fungi (the Peziza type ones). I thought, hmm, cacti in the damp.

[Primrose]

Has anybody actually planted any runner bean seedlings outdoors yet? I've just planted out two seedlings which I sowed early and which have gone beserk, but have planted them out under big plastic bottles.

[alan refail]

Primrose

I haven't even sown them yet

Alan

[Primrose]

Oh dear Alan, sowed my first batch indoors a couple of days ago. Looks as if I've anticipated the starting gun again. But if there's a frost soon, a lot of people are going to be cursing. A whole trolleyfull of runner beans at the garden centre last week sold out. Repeat purchases are good for business I suppose.

[richard p]

my father has just informed me he's planted out his runner beans , guess id better sow mine in a day or two, anyway the purple sprouting is still in the ground where the beans, tomatoes etc are intended to go.

[GaGa]

Yup,
mine went out this weekend 20th April - under large plastic cooking oil botles, I must admit, but I needed the space in the greenhouse! Fleece is at the ready, in case of a frost warning.

[retropants]

Crikey, you're brave! Mine are still in the greenhouse (only just peeped through the compost), with a little gentle heat overnight to keep the tomatoes happy!!

[oldherbaceous]

Well my first batch of forty are going out this afternoon, with no cover. Time will tell.

[Malk]

Sowed mine last week but the seeds seem to have disappeared so I sowed them again at the weekend. Will probably have a double lot now.

[Multiveg]

Saw pots of french beans in a garden centre yesterday - they were outside. Wonder if they'll bring them in if frost is forecast?

[Colin_M]

Saw pots of french beans in a garden centre yesterday

I agree, frost could be an issue with many of the above. However aren't French Beans ready to take off sooner than Runners?

In past years, I've started them (eg. Cobra) round about the same time as my runners. Some have then produced flowers & fruit well before they were anywhere near the top of the canes!


Colin

[moon_goddess]

I too have just planted out my runners & french beans with no protection. Started them off in the greenhouse & they'd got so big they were in danger of taking over. Have kept some seeds back though in case of disaster...

[alan refail]

Over the weekend I sowed some climbing French beans to be grown on in the polytunnel - same date as last year. I will be sowing my outdoor beans in modules inside in a week or two. I am surprised at how early some of you sow and plant. I find that even if beans don't get frosted, their growth is severely slowed by low temperatures.
On the subject of frost, when I lived in Leeds there was a frost between 1 and 8 June more years than not. Even here in the milder West, a mile from the sea, I usually see frost quite late - ground frost 23 May last year; 10,11,12 and 15 May in 2005.
Also I see Metcheck is predicting similar frost dates for next month.
Keep the duvets handy.

Alan