Advice on peas beans and runners please

[susiewoosie]

I have prepared a raised bed and 2 large pots for:

Dwarf Runner Bean Hestia

Dwarf Broad Bean The Sutton

Pea Kelvedon Wonder.

Do you reccomend that I start these off indoors or should I plant them straight outdoors?

Thanks for any advice

[zazen999]

Peas and broadies are hardy, so I would start them off in modules/pots, but outdoors.

Runners, I would hold off for a few weeks yet as they are not hardy and you will end up with a monster in your kitchen

[susiewoosie]

Ooh thanks I have some of those 3" non peat pot things that swell when water is added I will use them.

[Jillyreeves]

Plant them in loo rolls then you can plant them out without disturbing there roots.

[zazen999]

Ooh thanks I have some of those 3" non peat pot things that swell when water is added I will use them.

Are these Jiffy 7s?

[susiewoosie]

I don't know. They are square and you add water to them. They have a hole in the middle for the seed. These ones are 3". I've grown my other seed in very small versions.

As for the loo rolls I haven't been saving them but I will for next year. I bought those biodegradeable bottomless pot things and have planted 10 broad beans and 10 peas. I've put 2 seeds in each just in case they don't come up. I need 8 loo roll holders for my runner beans so I will hopefully have them by the end of the month. I've got 2 already and 1 kitchen towel as well.

I ended up using the square non peat things for my sweet peas.

[susiewoosie]

Just googled Jiffy 7's and they are the ones. Do you think the 30mm size will be big enough to start my cucumbers off?

[SarzWix]

I usually start my cucumbers off in ordinary 3" pots, I think 3cm might be too small - they start off big-ish and get bigger

[susiewoosie]

Will ordinary multi purpose compost be okay?

[zazen999]

Just googled Jiffy 7's and they are the ones. Do you think the 30mm size will be big enough to start my cucumbers off?

They will poke through the netting at about 6 days [mine just have], so if you have the room, I'd put them into 3 inch pots for courgettes/cukes [as Sarz said]....

[susiewoosie]

Darn I planted my courgette seeds in the jiffy 7's 2 days ago. Should I take them out and pot in a 3" pot or is it too late?

[zazen999]

No, just pot them on about 3 or 4 days after they make an appearance above the soil...keep an eye on the roots and as soon as they poke out - pot them on.

[susiewoosie]

Cool thanks. I must be learning lots going by the mistakes I make