Planting out runners

[Stringbean]

Saturday night and I'm sat here worrying about my runner bean plants. I think my life has peaked!

Any way back to my question. I think I might've sowed my runner bean seeds to early. The plants are growing in my conservatory and look ready to plant out. I was going to do that tomorrow but my dad made a jokey comment about frosts killing the lot. I'm in the south, do you think I can get away with planting them out yet?

Thanks in advance
Adam

[Alison]

You might get lucky but frost will do for them and us be surprised if you don't get any frosts this spring. You can protect with fleece on cold nights which will help but you certainly need to harden them off so they don't go into shock from the relative warmth and protection of your conservatory.

[Thelma Sanders]

I haven't even sown mine yet!
I don't chance anything tender outside 'til mid May, 'cos we often get an early May frost here.

[Penellype]

Its been very warm for April recently, and is likely to be warm again at the start of next week after a colder snap this weekend. However, after the middle of next week there is a lot of uncertainty about what happens next, and one of the more likely (but by no means certain) scenarios is that is will get rather a lot colder and wetter towards the end of the month.

Runner beans do not like getting cold and can be really set back by it. They also become more vulnerable to pests and diseases if they get cold. But they are not easy to plant out if they get too big.

What I would do if I were you is plant them out (harden them off first of course!), preferably with some protection, and sow some more as insurance in case you lose them.

[WendyC]

When you say South (presumably UK ) how South. I am in West Sussex and don't plant out at the allotment until third week in May. I've even had a frost in early June. Even if they are frosted they can sulk if chilled and never recover.

[Greenleaves]

Never sow mine until 1st May

[janzbro]

Im up in t'north east and we will still get some snow soon let alone frost.

[marchogaeth]

What I would do if I were you is plant them out (harden them off first of course!), preferably with some protection, and sow some more as insurance in case you lose them.

I agree, not only will your plants need to be hardened off to the difference in temperature they will need to get used to wind. If they are tall and grown inside their stems will not be as strong as if they had grown outside. You may need to support them in their pots during the hardening off period. Don't tie them rigidly to a cane or stick, allow a little bit of movement so that the stems strengthen otherwise, if they survive, you could end up with weak bottoms to the stems which can snap later in the season. Think of it as a bit of exercise to build up the stem muscles!

By the way, it is helpful to people giving advice if you add your location to your profile.

[TrysHard]

Given the ground frost here in Kent last night I would say it is too early.

I sowed toms, cucs, chillies, peppers etc too early this year cucs and some toms are 2ft tall (thats a Gardeners 2ft) but are too tender for a unheated greenhouse so doing the in/out method at the moment.

Some toms need to go into 9cm pots "Now" so they will have to take a chance in the greenhouse - I doubt it will kill them.

Put it down to lesson learnt and plant a few weeks later next year I know I will.

[Kristen]

If you put them out during the day, and bring them in at night (which you need to do anyway, before planting, to acclimatise them to outdoor temperatures and wind [so called "hardening off"]) the cooler temperaures will slow them down. You might be able to do that for long enough that you get to a date where it is worth risking putting them out. I would sow backups too - but not yet!!