Dwarf french beans in flower and frost protection

[littlemoney]

My second sowing of dwarf french beans are in flower. Later this week, overnight temperatures of 3 degrees are forecast. Should I cover the beans in an attempt to protect them. I have some very old horticultural fleece, would that do? If it's OK do I need more than one layer?

I know I can't protect my outdoor tomato plants as they are 4-5 feet high but perhaps I can keep the beans growing a little longer.

[Bren In Pots]

If you have something to cover your beans use it, in the past I’ve used newspapers, net curtains and even bubble wrap to give my plants that bit of help.

[Ms-T]

^^^ What Bren said .. try it all...if you don't try it,, try you wont know.

[Plot70]

My runners are 8 feet high and producing a second crop.
They produced a reduced crop due to late frost earlier.
No chance of covering them.

[jdlondon]

can you leave the fleece on all day too? or do you have to remove them during the day? - I got all twisted around thinking white reflected light and left it off in the day and then promptly forgot to put it on at night - I have dwarf beans too, a surprise since I never realised that's what I was planting. I looked after a couple inside thinking my attempt at germinating cinnamon had worked. Embarrassing.

[ameno]

can you leave the fleece on all day too? or do you have to remove them during the day? - I got all twisted around thinking white reflected light and left it off in the day and then promptly forgot to put it on at night - I have dwarf beans too, a surprise since I never realised that's what I was planting. I looked after a couple inside thinking my attempt at germinating cinnamon had worked. Embarrassing.

Light transmission through fleece is around 70-80%, depending on the thickness.
That's obviously not ideal, especially this time of year when days are getting shorter, but it won't do the plants any harm if it's just for a few days.

[littlemoney]

Light transmission through fleece is around 70-80%, depending on the thickness.
That's obviously not ideal, especially this time of year when days are getting shorter, but it won't do the plants any harm if it's just for a few days.

I covered the beans with fleece last night but the temperature only dropped to 6 degrees so I would have been alright. There is a strong, cold northerly wind today. Would the plants benefit from remaining covered till the wind drops on Monday or is the benefit of light more important than the chill by air?

[Jungle Jane]

I don’t think it would make much difference covering until Monday,or could the top be opened to get some air in & close at night? My runner beans have flowers again & some beans nearly ready to pick,the frost usually comes end of October here in Essex,I’ve never covered beans or anything in the Autumn except brassicas but that’s coz of pests. The tomatoes & peppers are still out there in this cold wind,they’re alright,one pots half fallen over but if I stand it back up the wind will get it again so the plants better laying down at an angle,it’s not touching the ground. One teepee was nearly blown down yesterday, I added another cane & tied it to that,it’s alright now.

[Plot70]

I would expect the fleece to lead to more wind damage that the frost damage it might prevent.
I do sometimes protect beans with plastic bottles when they are hardening off in the spring.