Sowing French Beans
 

How to Sow French Beans - Directly Outside

French Beans are sub-tropical in origin, and for this reason need a minimum soil temperature of 16°C (60°F) in the UK. If unprotected, French Beans are in all cases damaged by even one degree of frost. Where the seedlings have appeared above the soil surface and a late unexpected frost strikes, it is best to remove them and sow more seeds in their place.

French Bean variety Purple Teepee (available from Dobbies)

Using a trowel, dig out drills 5cm (2in) deep and 30cm (1ft) apart - where more than two rows are being planted, allow sufficient space between every second row to allow you cultivate and harvest them - 1m (3ft) should be enough.  French Beans have a germination rate of approximately 75% and for this reason should be sown thinly, one seed every 15cm (6in), to be thinned out to a final spacing of one seedling every 30cm (1ft) about 3 weeks after sowing. To be doubly sure, sow several seeds at the end of the row for filling in any spaces where the seed has failed to come up in the row. After sowing, water the bed well if conditions are at all dry.

Do not soak the seeds prior to sowing in attempt to encourage germination. Soaking the beans will encourage Halo Blight (see section on pests and diseases later on). Examine the beans as you sow them, and reject any which are wrinkled, disfigured or have yellow spots on them. 

How to Sow French Beans - with Frost Protection

Cloches or poly-tunnels will protect them if a late frost is predicted, as will plastic bottles with the bottom cut off placed over the seedlings. Sowing under cloches outside can occur in early April. Click here for full details of cloche protection. Click here to buy your poly-tunnel, cloche or fleece from GardenAction's online supplier.

The other alternative is to sow the seeds in peat pots (in early April ) and initially grow them on the windowsill until all danger of frost has passed and then plant them, peat pots and all, directly into the ground. Remember to soak the peat pots in water prior to planting so that they will quickly break down in the soil.