Beans and the cold weather

Gardening to 'grow your own food' from square foot to half an acre !!
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kitla
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Beans and the cold weather

Post by kitla »

Our runner beans are looking extremely pathetic, yellow, sparse & altogether rather
sad. The nights have been so cold, I'm going to start fleecing them at night until
it changes. Apart from wrapping them up & feeding them, is there anything else
I can do to help them recover? I may even plant a few more in pots in the green-
house - do you think it's too late?
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
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billnorfolk
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Re: Beans and the cold weather

Post by billnorfolk »

Have you got plenty of well rotted manure or compost under them ,beans are hungry plants so if not then a good feed liquid or otherwise may perk them up a bit .Agree the nights have been cold and many of my plants are suffering ,once weather changes will soon pick up me hopes. >gl<
A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

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lancashire lass
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Re: Beans and the cold weather

Post by lancashire lass »

kitla wrote:The nights have been so cold, I'm going to start fleecing them at night until
it changes. Apart from wrapping them up & feeding them, is there anything else
I can do to help them recover?


Be wary of feeding - you can overfeed especially as the problem is the temperature (presumably) not nutrient deficiency.

Sometimes plants do recover but I'm in the club where anything that does not thrive is ripped out - it will be slow to flower and set seed, often it is better to start again:

kitla wrote:I may even plant a few more in pots in the green-
house - do you think it's too late?


I know you can sow french beans up to the end of July but wasn't sure about runner beans - according to the RHS growing guide, it is the same.
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kitla
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Re: Beans and the cold weather

Post by kitla »

Thanks, we have a few beans left in the packet which I will get going in the
greenhouse. They can fill in the gaps from the ones that I think are going to die.
Then perhaps some extra compost round them instead of feed.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
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