Growing borlotti beans

[Scarlet]

You can't plant out beans until mid May at the earliest really, so a late April sowing would be reasonable...peas are a cooler climate crop so they can be started earlier.
Beans don't like the cold at all. They will grow in the greenhouse but they need support very early on and then that's a lot of growth to untangle and try to wrap around you bean frame when you plant out. Ideally you want to sow just a couple of weeks before your last frost.

[annie8]

The borlotti seeds I sowed are now coming through. They look really interesting. Am going to hold off sowing any more as I probably started them a bit early. They have been happy enough so far in the greenhouse so far though.

[annie8]

Quick update. Planted the borlotti beans out last weekend. So far so good. Have put each next to a cane so they can climb up. Haven’t quite finished my structure yet - need my other half to help as it needs to be really tall. I tied a few of the taller ones to the canes to help until they start climbing up. Nothing has eaten them yet but I’m keeping an eye out.

[mcdood]

Each time you visit them if they are long enough and hanging loose, twist them gently anticlockwise around a cane to help them get started. They'll soon romp away.

[annie8]

Just as you describe. So excited to see that.

[annie8]

So the borlotti plants have romped away and have reached the top of the wigwams - probably about 7 feet. I’ve had to cut them off at the top of the wigwam as they just kept growing up. They are looking healthy but very little in the way of pods yet just spotted a couple of very tiny ones. Am I behind where I should be. How are other people getting on ?

[nickdub]

some of mine died, a few grew on and have quite large pods and I sowed some more which are yet to flower - not much help, but there you are that's gardening :-)

[Mark_Riga]

I'm growing a climbing bean Soissons that I have had good results from in the past. Sowed roughly when you did and just getting very small pods now. Picture of flowers from last Friday. Just noticed the slug damage I need to deal with.

[annie8]

Thanks. Yes here are pictures. First year I’ve grown it so wasn’t sure when to expect a crop.

[mcdood]

My climbing borlotti are about the same size as yours Annie, flowering and just starting to pod.
My dwarf borlotti have sizeable pods on them.

[ESBkevin]

Only picked our first runners and climbing french beans this week, so I expect your location puts you a week or two behind. We haven't got borlotti, but they went from nothing to ready in about two weeks or so. Hang in there.

[annie8]

Spotted this today.

[Scarlet]

Worth the wait!

[annie8]

They have been pretty easy to grow so far. Let’s see what the crop is like.

[Mark_Riga]

Bean Soisson are about 8'' tall now, 12' row. The pods are starting to fill but very slow. They think they have all the time in the world but I reckon about 8 weeks max.