Hardening off

Once again, my runner beans have gone loopy and should be planted out sooner rather than later. Good job the weather has been so good in my part of the world. I skipped the usual steps of putting them out for just 1 hour on the fiurst day and gradually increasing the time they spend outside. I've just brought thhem in in the evening.

My extra long bamboo canes are already in place - they are about 8ft tall. As with last year, I plan to sow some extra runner bean seeds direct in the ground when I put the plants in so i get a prolonged cropping period.

I've done the same with the courgettes, butternut, tomatoes and chillies re hardening off, although I must admit I made a mistake with the courgettes. I placed them on the windowsill of a very sunny window to germinate but it was too sunny and scorched the edges of the leaves. I'm hoping it won't have too detrimental an effect on the plants.

No has-beans here!

I have been very naughty.

I twisted my ankle in bed on Sunday night. NononononoNO - the naughty bit is that I left my indoor raised beans out all day on Monday and...last night, albeit semi protected with some glass panes, because I was hobbling around and I just knew if I tried to bring them in I'd probably drop them.

The good news is that, so far, they seem to have survived the experience and are doing extremely well. In fact, I'm sure if I watch them carefully, I can see them growing right before my eyes. I've even had to put peasticks into the pots to keep them from tangling themselves together.

I'm not sure if it was the very weak feed solution I gave them on Sunday or just being outside, but whatever it is, I am thrilled at how they have perked up. With the weather forecast being so good for the next few days, I am hoping to get them out into the open ground before long.

Taking a chance

My indoor runner beans are showing signs of.....something. And it doesn't seem to be a good something either.

The leaves are drooping inwards. There are no critters on them and they don't need water so I think it's the delay in getting them outside.

So I'm going to take the chance (as it's such a lovely day) and put them outside for an hour or so a bit later once the sun is out and it warms up a bit, in the hope that they will realise there are better things to come for them once the weather perks up permanently.

I'll try giving them a talking to as well.

Leggy plants

My indoor sown plants have been a little too successful. They are romping away with many having sprouted their first true leaves. Problem is with the weather having turned quite cold, I am concerned that I won't be able to start putting them outside to harden them off for a while, which might make them go weak and straggly. Having said that, although the forecast isn't looking good, it is lovely and sunny here today and not too cold.

In the meantime, I've started warming up the soil where the runner beans are going to be planted against the fence. I'm using some old double glazing panes which I found in the garden when I moved in and have just leant them against the fence in the hope that the little sun I'm getting will warm up the soil a bit.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm going to plant out the indoor raised beans once it gets warmer and at the same time, sow some seed direct in the soil so hopefully, my warming attempt will help those to germinate more quickly.

As you can see from the picture, the indoor sown beans are going mad and are already over 30cm/12" tall.

Come on Spring!