Runner Bean 'White Lady' Germination at speed

[mikey]

saved White Lady last Oct/Nov (had a great crop)

On 25 Feb did a germination test, in preparation for this year's sowing (I did a test, last November 2 weeks after drying the seed)

First sign of a tiny root after 2 days, then shoot tip emerging yesterday. I soaked 5 beans, 2 no sign of life, but the other 3 are 'away like a Bat out of H..l)

I have lined a large glass jar (Kilner) with kitchen towel and filled the centre with potting compost, pushed the beans between glass and towel, about halfway down the jar. Watered well and sat on kitchen windowsill, South facing.  I swear you can see them growing ha! ha!

Last year I did not start Runners until third week of April (in pots) because we were told by neighbours this area can suffer Frosts as late as mid/end May. (in fact last frost in 2006 was last week of April)

To the point .......  if I start a few growing this same way what are their chances if I pot them up and keep them in an unheated Conservatory until the ground warms up ?

Appreciate any comments / guidance

Cheers

[mikey]

[valmarg]

And therein lies the tale of the unpredictability of the British weather!!

Last year we didn't have a frost after the middle of May.  The two previous years we had quite severe frosts in the first week of June.

Personally, I would go ahead and sow them and keep them in the unheated conservatory.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and you could be eating beans earlier than anyone else.

The only proviso I would state is to keep your eye on the weather forecasts at the critical times, and have plenty of fleece ready to chuck over them when frost is forecast.

valmarg

[tim]

All very clever stuff, but I very much doubt that you'll gain anything by sowing so early.

I haven't yet sown my French Beans for the greenhouse.

[mikey]

just to be clear ... the glass jar and paper towel is a bit of fun for my grandson (we did this when I was a child, usually with Peas)

my routine system for germination is to soak on wet paper towel, inside a plastic margarine box, with clingfilm cover, sat on the central heating boiler cover (temp around +/- 25 C), usually takes 6/8 days for sign of life. Then immediately pot up into newspaper tubes or small polythene pots.

Has worked fine for me with Tomato, Courgette, squash, Runner/French Beans but for some reason Broad Beans have mostly rotted, so they go direct in the ground in May.

Cheers 

[manicscousers]

just planted 12 dwarf french beans for the poly.. a few seeds, will cover with fleece if it gets cold  ;D