One for the gardeners

[dseagull]

So after a lovely day outside our January-sown Broad Beans are looking very healthy. They are also sitting in the 'greenhouse' (Shelving with a zip up cover, £15 in the Focus closing down sale!) and some are looking a little big for their little pots.

 

 

Is it too early to plant them out yet? - As our garden is mostly lawn and shed we are planning on growing them (with support!) in large containers on the patio. I have googled it, and get a mix of 'plant them out, they are hardy' (a Forum) and 'Be wary of late frosts' (BBC Gardening) Whilst the weather is nice today, it is still February, and I'd hate to lose the lot to a frost if the weather changes again next week.

 

ta.

[KevinWalsh]

Stu,

 

I've just consulted with a mate who has a large vegetable plot in his back garden in Hailsham and he says leave them in the little pots but put them out in the garden during the day and bring them in at night when the temperature drops. Do this for 1 to 2 weeks, then tranplant them into larger pots and leave them on the patio to develop, the bringing them in and putting them out should get them used to the cooler temps and should then mean that you won't loose any (not garunteed though).

 

Kev

[DonB]

Nice healthy looking plants there! I normally plant mine out the week before Easter, here in South Derbys. Never had a problem with Aquaduce variety. You seem to have 18-20 plants, you will get more than you will want to eat if you plant them all out! I seem to feed most of my neighbours, from a dozen plants.

Edit:-

Just seen Kevin's post, I agree that "hardening off" will help to avoid losses, also be prepared to use a bit of horicultural fleece (sold by the metre in garden centres)to cover the newly planted ones if frost is forecast, (although I never have!)

[industrial]

Well the best thing to do for now is to put them outside during the day and bring them inside over night. This will slow them down and make them more hardy. They are not over big for there pots yet. You should be able to plant them out in early to mid March as long there is no talk of frosts in the near future.

 

Broad beans are hardy as most people will start sowing outside in October and our plants did look in a bad way over winter but they are fine now.

[dseagull]

Many thanks all - I'll get them out in the day from tomorrow (no sniggering at the back) and then put them out into their containers later in March

 

Don B

 

Yes, we do have rather a lot! - It's the first year we've tried growing our own vegetables, so I wasn't sure how many would come up. Of the 35 or so we planted, only 5 haven't come up, so we will have rather an excess! We've also got Potatoes, Onions, Shallots, Spring Onions, Radish, Carrots, Leeks (can just be seen in the background newly planted out from their seed tray into modules), Strawberries, Peas and Lettuce to go yet as well!

[DonB]

Excess plants sell well at school fetes or via advert in your local shop window.

Would be interested to see a picture of all those vegitables in pots / planters etc. Mine go into raised beds, which now need some TLC as the wood surrounds are starting to rot! A recent accident has put that on hold.... Curses!