Runner beans???

[whitbybabe]

11 days ago I planted some runner beans indoors( in my conservatory) in seed trays about 3" deep.They are now about 6/7 inches high and I was wondering when I would be able to put them outdoors on canes/netting etc. Are they frost hardy or not? If not when should I put them outside?

I will be asking more questions in due course as I have planted all sorts and I am a novice !!!

Thanks !!!

[New Judge]

Runner beans are most definitely not frost hardy.

In fact, even a few cold (non-frosty) nights will set them back considerably or even see them off.

I do not plant mine out until well into May, and maybe the latter end of the month if the weather is not too good.

[whitbybabe]

Thanks for that,but if they carry on growing at this rate should I support them with canes until I put them out ?

[New Judge]

Yes.

You could put them outside during the day (provided it is not too windy so as to damage them). This will "harden" them to make them more tolerant when they eventually go out for good.

[Whoever]

The other thing you could try doing, if your bean poles are in a sheltered place, and your beans are growing out of control is to plant them out but wrap the whole bean pole structure around with white gardeners fleece so that the beans are protected. They are not frost hardly and dislike the cold but I did this on one occasion when I sowed my beans far too early and they were desperate for planting out. I left the fleece in place for nearly three weeks and the beans survived perfectly well under their permanent fleece covering.

[brenda]

whitbybabe ---it is good to meet someone who admits to being a novice.you will learn lots from this site.

Are you in the North east, I am , and as you know we are a bit behind the normal sowing times because of night frosts and high winds.

For me don't sow anything until the end of April indoors and 1/2 way through May outdoors.
Gives more time to really prepare the ground outside.
Regards
B

[whitbybabe]

Thanks Brenda, I only just got your reply today.No I am not in the North East (wish I was though !).I live in Derby so I am right in the middle of the country.I think I might try putting them out with gardeners fleece around them as they are doing so well I dont want to waste them ! I have also sewn radishes,tomatoes and peppers indoors so I might need your help again soon !!! Many thanks,Alison(whitbybabe).

[Whoever]

Your peppers and tomatoes won't be able to be planted outdoors until early June because of the risk of a late frost. However, look around plastic recycling tip bins for the large square 5 litre mineral or squash plastic bottles and cut the bottoms off. They make ideal protective individual cloches. If my tomatos start looking leggy and need to be planted outside, I plant them out and slip the open top over a tomato cane to hold it in place and act as a cloche until the weather has warmed up. Similarly, you can plant your peppers in bigger pots (preferably 8 inch diameter) and slip one of these plastic cloches over the plant achoring it with a stick. If you locate your pots outdoors in a sunny place, you can probably get away with putting them outside earlier as long as you've got this protection over them.