Too early to sow beans?

[Alan G]

I got a bit excited this afternoon and decided to sow french beans in pots indoors.

Is it too early for this?

I've just read somewhere they should be sown indoors late April for potting out mid May?

Will I be able to keep them indoors sufficiently long to ensure the last of the frosts before potting out, or can I pot them out late April and cover them with fleece if need be?

Thanks

Alan

[SlugLobber]

Depends on the variety, doesn't it? I've sown some and I'm sure it said March for indoor sowing. Can't remember the variety - possibly Hunter!

[Glutton4...]

I sowed some in Rootrainers at the weekend. When they're big enough to go out they'll get Plastic Bottle Cloches to keep 'em warm!

[Two_Sheds]

keep them indoors sufficiently long to ensure the last of the frosts before potting out

It's not just frost, they can't tolerate cold at all: it will check their growth.

Start them off about a month before your last frost date (so I've got some chitting now)

PS. If you put your location into your profile, it makes giving advice a little more accurate

[BarleySugar]

I pick my first ones this weekend from an indoor sowing under lights, I think it said 8 weeks from sowing to picking, so that worked out about right. Bear in mind they really don't like the cold.

[chris]

chitting? Like spuds? Or dampen them first and let them sprout?

I just bunged 2 per 3inch pot in a non-heated prop a few hrs ago!

[Two_Sheds]

dampen them first and let them sprout?

exactly that.
Most do sprout, but any that don't go straight in the compost bin. I used to sow them into pots, but got fed up with wasting compost on non-viable seeds.

[Flummery]

I willl not be setting mine till mid April. Not worth it up here. If you put them out too soon, even if there's no frost, they sulk if it's cold.

[chris]

exactly that.
Most do sprout, but any that don't go straight in the compost bin. I used to sow them into pots, but got fed up with wasting compost on non-viable seeds.

hmm yeah, never thought of it that way before... thanks

[Alison]

I've got some French dwarfs started from seeds I saved from my HSL ones last year. They're Crystal Ice Wax beans which claim to be good for forcing and apparently will withstand lower temperatures (not at all sure about it but.........) so am going to give them a go in the polytunnel with a bit of extra protection. To be honest I'm not convinced and am totally expecting to sow some more in a months time.

Re chitting, never have any problems with bean seeds and as normal got 100% germination from just shoving them in the soil of the root trainers. At this time of year I germinated in the conservatory with a plastic lid on them which was removed as soon as they sprouted.

[smallblueplanet]

Way too soon for French beans - too damn cold!

[Alison]

Way too soon for French beans - too damn cold!

Yeah, I know that really but I had lots of seeds and decided to play

[Flummery]

Yeah, I know that really but I had lots of seeds and decided to play

AND a new polytunnel to play with!

[marathon]

I've sown some dwarf for the polytunnel. I normally sow this time of year, checking my journal and last year I sowed on the 22nd.

I sow indoors and then once they begin to show they get put in the mini plastic greenhouse during the day for about a week, to get used to the temp then they get planted into an outside bed in the PT.

I've done this for three years and so far (she has fingers crossed) I haven't lost a crop and have been picking beans very early.

[gojiberry]

French beans tend to be more susceptible to the cold than runner beans, so I would say hold back yet and if you really must then go with runners to start with.

Ian