Borlotti beans

[out in the cold]

I have only tried borlottis last year and it was an abject failure.

Last week, I was looking for something to fill up a spare cell in a set of 3 when I planted courgettes to start off on a sunny shelf in my classroom. A borlotti was duly planted and put in sunlight last Monday.

I thought I noticed it coming through on Friday last week and can now report to having a 4 to 5 inch high plant, which looks very healthy indeed.

I am totally stunned at the rate this has come on at.

Is this fairly normal?

[SarzWix]

Yes, given the right conditions beans grow pretty quickly. Although, if it's reaching for the light, that would of course make it taller/longer

[out in the cold]

I think it could be. The shoot had kinda started to stretch towards the window, so I have turned it around a wee bit.

My classroom is nominally South facing and can be like an oven on a warm day outside.

[Vince G]

Little bit early to be starting climbing beans off IMHO. Still very chilly out there so will be waiting until at least next weekend before sowing.

Borlotti are brilliant for drying. We still have nearly a kilo of them from last year in a kilner jar from a small wigwam. Fave recipe is "posh" beans on toast. Basically, borlotti soaked and boiled in the usual way then cooked in frozen homemade pasta sauce on toast doorsteps, sometimes with some bacon or sausagemeat thrown in. Yum!

[SarzWix]

I haven't sown mine yet either, except a handful of dwarf types for a pot in the tunnel.

OITC, can you harden it off? Maybe from morning break til afternoon break to begin with, then out all day? That would slow down its growth a bit in terms of both temperature, and, reaching for the light?

[out in the cold]

I could always bring it home and cold frame it. We are leaving that open during the day when KCN is not at work, so that might help.

I will let it kick on for a day or too yet, as it is pretty cold here tonight