Sowing Tender Veg.

Now is the time when many of us are sowing and planting out tender veg such as French or Runner Beans. However, at time of writing there is a frost warning for Friday and Saturday night! What to do?

You can start them off indoors on the windowsill or in the greenhouse - or:-

• You could follow Neville's idea. He sowed peas 4/5 at each station and then pushed a bottomless 2l pop bottle over them until they come through. This has the advantage that it makes it more difficult for the mice eating the germinating seed. Neville has moved his bottles on to Runner bean seeds as the peas are through and safe but the runners are more tender. Trouble is collecting 20 or more pop bottles without making myself ill!
• Probably easiest is to stretch fleece over the emerging crop. This works well for potatoes that may have pushed up through the ridges and cannot be earthed up any more.
• If you lose anything to the frost, hopefully either there is time to re-sow - or you might find there are plants for sale in the frames at the Trading Hut.