Magic Beans to Sow in May...

Jack with his Bean Stalk was missing a trick when he sowed his ‘magic beans’ - he missed the jewels that hung from the stalk, there was no need to climb to a different world as there is treasure buried within the foliage - tasty French Beans…

Home grown fresh seasonal produce is hard to beat and French Beans that can be picked whilst young, tender and stringless are at their peak of perfection. With pods that break in two with a snap rather than shop bought ones bendy ones that are past their best and travelled 1000’s of miles to our plate.

If you get the conditions right French Beans are very easy to grow and if the pods are regularly picked they can be very productive over a long period. However French Beans do not like cold conditions and will not take a frost of any sort so the most fool proof way to grow them in May is in a greenhouse or somewhere where frost will not touch these tender seedlings or be too cold or wet to prevent germination.

Our guide to French Bean sowing in May..

1. Sow seeds 5cm deep into root-trainers or small pots & keep under cover.
2. When seedlings are about 5cm tall and the risk of frost has passed, transplant outside after a period of 5-7 days ‘hardening off’
3. Space plants 25cm apart and water well.