My Chilly Beans!

Over Easter, I thought I’d seize the opportunity to plant out some of my veggies. Most were brassicas and leaves, so even if it turned a bit colder I figured they’d be ok, but I did have some beans as well – some Dwarf French Beans, Climbing French Beans and Climbing Borlotti Beans.

The Borlotti were the biggest of the three varieties, and clearly a little more mature. They all went into the same raised bed, and I planted them all in the same way – digging a small hole, adding a handful of compost, popping them in and watering them well. All good. However, on Wednesday this week, the weather turned a bit colder, and on Thursday it was chilly enough that I was back in my winter coat when I was out in the veg patch in the morning. I noticed that the Borlottis had all wilted, where the French Beans actually looked ok. I checked the soil and it was definitely not too dry (it had rained on and off for the past 24 hours, and I’d watered them on Wednesday too) but I watered them again anyway, just in case.

In the evening, they still hadn’t perked up. My theory is that the Borlotti are a more tender variety (coming from Italy) and that is the reason they have suffered so much. So, following Rocket’s good advice in last week’s veg out, I made some bottle cloches and popped them over the top of my Borlotti beans. I’m glad I did as it is not nice out there today – we’ve got 50 mile hour winds heading this way. I’m not sure how they’ll do, but I’m hoping that the bottles will keep them protected from the wind and keep them a little warmer. They might thrive, or they might not survive. Let’s see how they go. Will report back after the weekend!