Runner beans

[peanut]

My Runner beans have been in an unheated greenhouse day and night with the door/window open during the day and closed at night.
Just had a chat to them this morning and noticed their roots are through the peat pots.

Can I plant them outside now have they been hardened off enough?

I live in North Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire border, it's my first year here so don't know about last frosts in this area.

Thanks

[Alison]

Used to live near Peterborough so guess that's not too far from you. Back then we planted our beans directly outside on the end of May Bank Holiday as we often got a late frost which killed them off if we went any earlier. I'm only planting my funner beans up this afternoon in an unheated greenhouse but I know there's plenty of people gone earlier. If they're ready then you can risk putting them out and have some spare beans in hand just in case you have bad luck. One year I didn't have chance to plant any beans until mid June due to work committments and they still came up and cropped, not that much later than usual either!

[Flummery]

If they are going to deteriorate through being pot bound then I'd put them out. I put mine out yesterday. I have loads of fleece and some spare plants but they've been outside day and night for several days to harden off so I think I'll get away with it.

[bubblewrap]

I planted out my runner beans about 3 weeks ago & they are about 10" tall I have had no probs ...................so far

[peanut]

Thanks all, i've potted them on and will wait till i've seen the night time temperatures on tonights weather week before deciding to plant out or not.

Do you think I should be leaving the greenhouse door and window open over night now to harden them of completely?

[Paulottie]

Not sure you've got the hang of 'hardening off'.. usually you bring your plants outside on all but the most horrrid days and then in at night- usually about 10 days of this. Then plant out when all risk of frost has passed. I planted out 3 and 4 weeks ago too. first batch look a little yellow as they don't like the wind much. But this is all very riskily early..the other guys direct sown beans are just coming up or others being set out now

[Alice]

Peanut, I planted my beans far too early last year and had to put them out ridiculously early because they had got so big. I wrapped fleece around them and they were absolutely fine through some really horrible weather. I think if you put your beans out with some fleece protection they will be fine.
I've only just planted my runner beans for this year to acoid running into the same problem. I think with beans, late is good.

[Madasafish]

200 metres above sea level..rural Staffs. Planted R beans out 2 weeks ago and french as well (1st lot) .
2nd lot yesterday - well raine din.

10 years ago they would have been frosted (or snowed on in May:-)

[Cutecumber]

I've only just sowed my runners today (into rootrainers). I just haven't had the space, what with the "great tomato debarcle of 2007"... lovely April, started hardening tomatoes off, May hits with gale force winds, tomatoes back in greenhouse full time. Courgettes taking over the world etc etc.

I need more space!

[peanut]

Paulottie is quite right about not having got the hang of harndeing off, it's my first year of having a greenhouse and I've been so chuffed at having somewhere other than windowsills and tables to start off my seeds I've completley forgotten about putting them outside!
They like it in the greenhouse! I even have a Great Tit that's been going in and de-bugging for me!

The weather is meant to settle again later this week so i'll start putting them out into the big bad world then.

Thanks all

[mrs potato head]

Our Peas and Beans have all been out for a few weeks now. We are feeding once a week with epson salts. We harvested first crop today and enjoyed with our roast. Lovely.

[Paulottie]

It helps if we know roughly where you are mrs PH (user CP at the top). Well done i've some flowers but no beans yet

[sewer rat]

I have only just finished sowing my runner beans in pots in the tunnel today(Lady Di and Enorma - 600 of each) and when I plant them out at the start of June, I will sow another bean alongside the young plant. This should give me 8 plants to each 4 cane wigwam and extend the season without taking up more space.
As regards hardening off, I just throw fleece over my toms, cukes and pepper plants, then open the doors at both end of the tunnel and let the wind at them - would take me all day to empty the tunnel and bring them all back in again.
However, in the garden at home, I do harden off my plants from the greenhouse before planting out. They go into a cold frame for about a week - lid up during the day and closed at night.