How to grow French Beans

It is just about the right time to start sowing, your French Beans indoors. I always start mine indoors by sowing each seed into a small pot of a good quality multipurpose compost After sowing water them and allow the pots to drain. Place them on a warm windowsill until the beans germinate. 

Alternatively if you want to waiting a bit longer then  you can sow them outdoors in May. I sow two seeds together straight into the ground in rows, spaced about a two feet apart with the beans planted about 20-30cm apart. But dont rush if its still too cold and wet, allow the soil to warm up a bit first.

Your will need to provide support for your beans to grow up using bamboo canes and a bean netting (or whatever else you may have to hand for a similar effect. Seedlings started indoors will  be ready to plant out after about three or four weeks, but only after the last frosts. You will need to harden them off before planting out by placing them outside during the day and bringing them back inside over night for at least a week before planting out. Plant them to the same spacing as for ground sown plants above planting two pots together.

You should be able to start harvesting from July :)