My first Broad beans...what next???

[Nicos]

Normally we plant bbs direct into the soil- but this year I decided to plant a few in pots.
They are now 3" high- and I'm not quite sure what to do with them

We have no greenhouse or windowsill- BUT- I know peeps plant them directly outdoors in the Autumn....so....Can I try and harden them off for a week during the day and then plant them out? ( maybe under fleece????I don't want them to go leggy- nor catch cold when this warm snap has gone.

Any ideas please?( I know they are pretty hardy when grown in the ground.)

I know- I should have sat on my hands

[zazen999]

Yeah, harden off and plant out. I put a load out at the weekend and sowed another 120 more.

[Peas'n'Kews]

I always plant some BBs out in the autumn to overwinter, and they nearly always survive - benefit is that they pod before the blackfly, err, fly! so harden off your plants and get 'em out!

[Jardiniere]

i always put mine in in November and normalement they survive but this year we had temps of minus 15 for a few nights and weeks where the temp didnt get above freezing - so all mine had died.
This weekend I'm planting seeds straight into the ground to replace the dead ones and will start some off in post to fill the gaps.
Wish I had some of 3" tall! Harden and plant out asap...........

[Nicos]

Oh brill! ...good news then!
Woo hoo! ..first year of early bbs!

Thanks peeps!

[Two_Sheds]

My autumn ones copped it a bit with that sudden week of frosts after a very mild autumn/winter. The foliage blackened & died back but the roots are fine and new leaves are reshooting already

I also today planted out the ones we sowed in root trainers back in the autumn: the kids had done them 3 or 4 to a hole, they've all fallen over and started growing all bent and crooked. They're strong though!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Outside during the day, inside at night for a couple od days, then out all night if it stays mild, then in to the ground and let them take their chance. Fleece will help acclimatise and also protect from predators

[mudpies]

My outside lot took a bit of a hammering following mild spell then nasty frost - but survived and are looking good. I'd started some of in the tunnel too and popped them out at the weekend - they seem to be loving their new home. So I agree, get them out I think

[Jamesy_uk]

Yeah, harden off and plant out. I put a load out at the weekend and sowed another 120 more.

Jebus and I thought I went a bit mad doing 75 odd....

[VirginVegGrower]

You need a lot of plants to get a decent amount of beans.

[lottie dolly]

i got 3 packs of wilko's coming up in trays,and purchased 1kg from the garden centre,might have to many,BUT,they will keep till next year,like most things that's grown,you need more than you think,not all sail on to be strong plant,plus is nice to share/swap/sell,last year i had 6double 18ft rows,they had lots of flowers,and not all produced beans,weather and pollinators permitting,

[Kaiya]

My autumn ones copped it a bit with that sudden week of frosts after a very mild autumn/winter. The foliage blackened & died back but the roots are fine and new leaves are reshooting already

Exactly the same happened to me this year - first time I've tried overwintering them. I think one (of 24) has properly died, but all the rest are stubbornly reshooting from the ground.

[Nicos]

What concerns me is that only 3 weeks ago we were experiencing -17C at night!!!!

..we've another potentially 12 weeks before our last frost date!

[bearded bloke]

I set a double row of modular grown in November,at the same time setting seed direct into the soil (in the spaces between plants) & covered with a Wilco poly-tunnel cloche thing.
Like TS my modular ones (now approx 300mm tall) did not enjoy the sub-zero temperature but are recovering,the direct set are now approx 100mm tall

Both modular & direct set are The Sutton