Is It twirly?

[veggiechicken]

I've already sown a selection of dwarf French beans - about 5 beans of 6 different varieties - indoors. They are just showing through the compost and I've moved the pots into the GH. Not all have germinated and that's another reason why I've sown some early. Old seed that may not be viable - and it wasn't!
I'll grow a few on in big pots in the GH in the hope of an early feed.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Mine are sat in the 4TB in modules, waiting for me to go procure some canes to create the wigwam thingy. Will be transplanting at Easter or about thenish.

[mothhawk]

Still getting frosts here - had to scrape the car windows twice this week.

[Potstubsdustbins]

To get some early beans I will put down 6 runners about the middle of April. They will sit in 6" pots on the bedroom window sill until early May. The rest will be sown first week of May.

Colin

[binley100]

I will be good and wait till April ..........

[Alison]

Not done it this year but the last couple of years I've sown some dwarf French beans in early March for growing on in the polytunnel. Has worked well both years but for some reason I didn't bother this year. Far too early for outdoor ones though and a bit risky on in the polytunnel ones too.

[kathyd]

So is there a special person somewhere who tells you when your last frost date is?? Our weather forecast changes daily here...

[Two_Sheds]

Not all have germinated and that's another reason why I've sown some early. Old seed that may not be viable

That's why I chit my peas & beans: so I can throw out the ones that don't sprout, and don't waste compost, space & time on the duffers

So is there a special person somewhere who tells you when your last frost date is?

You can google it: when is my last frost date?

France: ice saints days

Or, once you've been keeping a garden journal for a few years, you can make your own decision based on your notes

[cardiffsteve]

That's why I chit my peas & beans: so I can throw out the ones that don't sprout, and don't waste compost, space & time on the duffers

Oh wise TS!
Tell us how do you chit them?
Just put them on damp kitchen paper towel on windowsill?

[Two_Sheds]

Tell us how do you chit them?

Exactly as you'd chit those sprouted seeds for eating

pea sprouter | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[cardiffsteve]

Exactly as you'd chit those sprouted seeds for eating

I'm assuming you just sow the seeds as normal in a 3" pot?

[Two_Sheds]

^ yep, continue as normal after chitting

[Creemteez]

Sowed my runners in mid-April last year. they were all ready to go out - hardened off and everything- mid May. Second week in June was like stepping back to March - chilling winds. My beans -both runners and dwarf french sat and sulked for the best part of a month, but the runners came good eventually as the quantity in my freezer will attest. The dwarf french, however, refused to buck their ideas up and as a result I am going down the "climbing variety" route this year....
But to get back to you and your dilemma...GO ON!!!! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!!!!!
How strange... I've only had two glasses of vino and I cannot feel my face....Well. as I may haff sed elswhere tonite..it IS Saturdasy.....!!!

[vegnut]

I sowed some dwarf frenchies today in rootrainers, i put the lid on and put them by the house wall (south facing) they have two choices.

[kathyd]

I love the idea of Ice Saints Two_Sheds, thank you!! It turns out I go to my French class in a village named after one of them, so I'll stick with that date since it seems to be fated .

When I chit peas and beans I just lay them on soggy kitchen roll on a plate or saucer - they do get a bit slimy after a few days though, so sometimes need a quick rinse or change of water if they're slow to sprout.

This time I've tried starting some off in those tiny modules (plug plant size), and it seems to have worked quite well touch wood - I was able to leave them (peas only so far) in the mods until they had a leaf or two instead of potting them up as soon as the first sprout appeared, and I've now transferred the first batch to the polytunnel where they appear to be slightly further along than the ones I planted straight into the tunnel border - only by a mm or so, but every little helps as they say! The ones I planted direct in the soil outside have only just started to poke through after 2 or 3 weeks, and some have already had their heads bitten off! Curiously, the broad beans I planted at the same time aren't showing any signs of life at all yet, and I thought they'd be the first. So more indoor chitting I think, mod trays for the peas and pots for the beans - french and broadies! I'm hoping the tunnel plus 2 layers of 30g fleece on cold nights will be enough to protect them, but I've got lots to sow that need using up this year so I suppose it doesn't matter if I lose a batch while I experiment .