when to plant out climbing beans?

[janeyo]

Hi my climbers are in the cold frame but the support they have means the lid isn't shutting now. I don't know how big they need to be to go in the garden. I gess they are about 8 inches tall.

I have been using my son's ladybird windy thing that is bright red and spins round and round and so far the birds haven't come near the peas I planted out at the weekend so I don't think the birds will be a prob but are the plants big enough? Also do they self cling to the frame or do I have to tie them in? It's a 6 foor pyramid shaped trellis that they will be gong up.

Thanks, janeyo

[Flummery]

The frost will be a bigger danger than the birds Janeyo. Only you know your own micro-climate and whether the last chance of a frost in your area is past. Someone here posted a website where you can put in where you live and it will tell you your last predicted frost date. I suspect you could google Last Frost.

However, the reason the British talk about the weather so much is that it is fiercely unpredictable! Peas are hardier than climbing beans.

Usually they manage without being tied in but you might want to give them the hint initially to suport them a bit and stop them flopping about in the wind. Once they're off, they're off though.

[janeyo]

Thanks, I think I will move them out of the frame and let shelter them til they get a wee bit bigger. Think last frost here is meant to be 1st May but like you said, it's anybodyy's guess!

janeyo