Not sure about climbing beans?

[Wendie]

I bought some climbing bean seeds to plant, which I did on 17/4/10 in small pots indoors. The instructions said plant April/May. It only took them 4 days to hatch out. They are now about 8 inches high. Is it too early to plant out, or should I wait. I was going to plant in tubs, will that be OK?

[Two_Sheds]

Where are you?

My Frenchies are outside (direct sown), but only just. You also need to harden them off for a week or two before they get planted outside permanently

[Alison]

What sort of beans are they, French or Runner (either can be climbers). Runners are a bit hardier and mine will probably go out permanently in a couple of weeks time with the French ones following a couple of weeks after that. As Two Sheds says, make sure they're well hardened off or they'll sulk.

[murphy99]

when hardening off can I leave them overnight in a plastic green house ... during the day outside or should I bring them back inside? I have put my first lot outside today for the first time. They have been in the conservatory but are getting a bit big and I would like the room on the windowsill to seed some more.

[OllieMartin]

My hardening off porcess goes something like this:
- Sow in modules inside the house as soon as possible
- Move to the outdoor plastic greenhouse once they have sprouted and look healthy
- Leave the front of the greenhouse open during the day until they look like they're big enough to plant out (at least 2 weeks)
- Plant out if you're happy there aren't going to be any damaging frosts or if you feel like taking a risk.

My runners and dwarf french beans went out last Wednesday and Sunday respectively. They all look good and healthy now.

[murphy99]

Thanks for the advice, I put them outside today , so will move them into the greenhouse tonight.

I may have kept them inside a little too long as they are pretty big already, hopefully they will do ok outside in the green house and won't sulk on being evicted from the warmth

cheers
helen

[Two_Sheds]

It's not just night cold and frost that you have to harden them up against: it's the wind too. If you don't toughen up the stems a bit, they are likely to snap when you plant them out.

[Wendie]

Thanks for all the advice.My beans are runner ones, they are about 6-8 inches tall and look quite healthy. They have 2 large leaves and seem to be growing by the minute! Will I be able to grow in tubs or do I need to put in the garden? I don't have that much room so thought tubs may be OK.