Runner Beans & Sugar Snap Peas

Decided I'd chance an early sowing of beans and peas. Although cold at the moment I really hope that the worst of the weather will be over in a couple of weeks by the time they sprout above the soil. They were good value seeds from eBay, worst case I'll re-sow end of April.

I "harvested" some of the out of control bamboo from the garden to use as the supports.

Now all I've got to do is keep the chickens off of it. I may have to put some netting around the bed until they are established. Their coop was on this bed last year so it is well "fertilized" and free of any weed seeds or roots!

 

Really like the bean frame ! - but I think, even though you are in Cornwall you are too early with the runner beans.

a-a

 

I suspect as much tbh, but it was a pack of 20 seeds and I've only sown 8! So can afford to re-sow next month if needed. I don't even eat beans, but they look nice growing. I will start eating them on a sunday with a roast dinner etc.

My plan with the sugar-snaps is just to eat them when I'm in the garden!

 

Complete aside, but I'm very impressed with the chicken run that fits over your raised beds idea! I guess you just rotate round the beds?

 

In a normal year you're looking at mid April to early May for the last frosts down there so you might get away with it with the beans.

You could plant them out with cut off 2 litre drinks bottles over them, I usually do that.

 

We used to have an "Ark" that we shuffled around over the beds, now they have a fixed position. Mainly to give them more space and make it easier to interact with them. It's nice to go in there and sit them on your lap and make a fuss of them. I may look for a temporary flexible run for them to put on the beds in autumn.

 

Great way to get rid of all the slugs and snails and weeds!

 

The peas and beans have started to sprout, fingers crossed crossed we've seen the last of the frosts...

 

I think you might need taller 'canes' ! There's a garden just along the road from where we regularly go on holiday and they grow beans on their overwintering chicken run area so tall they need stepladders to pick the ones at the top (they use giant hazel rods from the adjoining woodland for the frame).