climbing French bean 'Hunter'
French bean
- Position: full sun
- Soil: humus-rich, moisture retentive soil
A heavy-yielding bean with a wide, flattened pod, combining the tenderness and reliability of a French bean and the good, meaty harvest from a runner. The deliciously-flavoured bright green beans are almost stringless and can grow to around 25cm long – though to enjoy them at their most tender they're best picked young. - Growing Instructions:Sow three seeds to a 9cm pot in mid-April and keep well watered and warm until germination. Keep seedlings in a frost-free greenhouse or on a windowsill, potting them on as they grow, and once all threat of frost has passed harden off gradually before planting out. Protect young plants from slugs and support with hazel wigwams or trellis. 'Stop' climbing beans once they reach the top of their poles by pinching out the top growth so they concentrate on producing more crops instead of growing skywards.
- Sow: March to June
- Harvest: June to August
- Approximate quantity: 75 seeds.
pea 'Kelvedon Wonder'
pea
An exceptionally sweet early-maturing pea
tomato 'Marmande'
beefsteak tomato
A wonderful old French heirloom beefsteak
Giant easy polytunnel cloche
Giant easy polytunnel cloche
Giant Poly Tunnels are ideal for winter and early spring vegetables
Kitchen garden cloche
Kitchen garden cloche
A sturdy, high quality, long lasting and stylish growing cover.
Raised bed
Raised bed
Made of recycled plastic these beds are perfect for raising a wide range of veg
Borlotti bean 'Lingua di Fuoco'
Borlotti bean
Variegated borlotti bean with pinkish red splodges on white.
chicory 'Catalogna Gigante di Chioggia'
chicory
Upright chicory with long 'serrated' leaves from near Venice with white ribs.
Buying vegetable plants
If you just want to grow a few vegetables or have suffered losses with early sowings, buying plants is a great way to play catch-up. Buying plants also allows you to grow vegetables if you do not have the facilities...
Read full articleJune Week 1
For the beginner If you do nothing else... Water new plants. Make sure new additions do not suffer during dry spells. Plant up summer containers. Plant containers with summer bedding once the threat of frosts has passed. Feed container plants. About six...
Read full articleWater vegetables
o get the best crops you need to make sure that they grow evenly which means ensuring they do not go short of water. Water thoroughly once a week applying about 20 litres per square metre rather than watering lightly...
Read full articleHarvesting vegetables
Once you start picking vegetables, such as runner beans and courgettes, keeping picking them regularly throughout the summer to ensure a continuous supply. Even the cropping period of French beans can be extended by harvesting regularly. Pick beans once a...
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