bean a disaster

[stuck]

It was unseasonably cold last night, our runner beans are not happy.

Ken

[HansV]

Oh dear...

[stuck]

It's forecast to be even colder tonight so there's not much hope of them some how hanging on and putting out new shoots. We're going to have to start again. Never had this happen to runner beans before. I suppose it's just another example of the unprecedented times we are living in.

Ken

[BobArch2]

Not sure about the rest of the countries in the Northern Hemisphere but here in the GWN the rule has been for a long time ... “no planting before May 24th due to possible frost conditions”

[Nick Vittum]

. . .here in the GWN the rule has been for a long time ... “no planting before May 24th due to possible frost conditions”

Here in Northern Vermont (south of you, Bob, but it gets harsh here) the rule is beans, tomatoes and peppers, squash family, and all others that are very frost sensitive, wait till June 1. Peas and other equally frost hardy can—supposedly—go in as early as Apr 15. But I've never had any luck doing that. Every time I've tried we've been flooded with rain and the seeds have rotted in the ground.

@ stuck, good luck with the second planting.

[Argus]

Bean and gone.

[HansV]

And for BobArch2 it is "bean there, done that".

[Rudi]

You may have to think of growing them in a beanhouse.

[StuartR]

They are definitely has beans

[GeoffW]

They are definitely has beans

Or no has beans?

[stuck]

Now that Garden Centres in England are allowed to reopen, we are going to investigate our local one later this afternoon. We expect a long queue but we might be able get some bean plants there. Yes, an expensive way of re-stocking the bean patch but it would mean things wouldn't be as far behind if we have to regrow from seed.

The extra expense won't bankrupt me, I've not exactly be a en spending money on anything else recently

Ken

edited to add: the strike-through tags around the a in 'beaen' are not working correctly, please can an Admin have a look, ta

[StuartR]

I've moved a discussion on strike-through tags from this thread to a new thread in the lounge matters forum

[jaystarter]

Possibly a little early to plant out runners (unless protected) anywhere north of the M4 because of the threat of late frosts - as you have discovered

However, if you didn't manage to source some new plants dont despair. From past experience A) try cutting back the obvious dead bits you may find they sprout and throw up another leader from the bottom leaf joints. B) plant some new seeds directly into the ground along side the damaged ones. You will be amazed how soon they germinate and will catch up through the summer (as long as fairly warm and kept watered) and you should be picking more or less the same time as usual

[stuck]

We've usually had our runners out by this time in past years but this is the first time this has happened to us.

Good news though, we were able to get some new plants this afternoon. That of course means that Jeff will be right and the existing plants will come back from the dead and then come summer we'll have so many runner beans we won't know what to do with them all.

Ken

[HansV]

When I was 10 years old or so, I had a small "school garden" plot. My mother made me abandon it after eating runner beans for a week straight.

[stuck]

...eating runner beans for a week straight.

I think I'm with your mother on that. However, my wife is of the opinion that you can never have too many runner beans.

Ken

[Graeme]

Up until last September I had an allotment for a few years. We had more runner beans every year than we could eat, give away or blanch and freeze. Whilst I am of the same opinion as your wife Ken, a restructured back garden this year will make vegetable quantities more realistic!

Regards

Graeme

[RonH]

Ours are in but still too scared to show their faces Hey we had a little snow here last week.
They are seeds from a 100+ yo ancient (well oldish) master and genetically the same. Came from a relative in southern England who got them from a relative aso ...

[LisaGreen]

Gonna do a runner!!!

[GeoffW]

Speaking of Bean a Disaster...

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