I've been looking at the awesome blogs of people who left comments, and found that planting beans in pots seems to be quite popular: Robert does this for his peas, and Nome for her broad beans.
Our peas and broad beans both got attacked and eaten by a some kind of nocturnal rodent monster that ploughed up the lines of helpless legumes. In addition the first peas we planted didn't grow, presumably because the ground was too cold.
I never really considered planting beans indoors. My philosophy has largely been "if it can be started outdoors, better to save the space, pots and potting soil for the plants that need it". But maybe next year we'll start beans and peas indoors to get an early start. Thanks for the inspiration, folks!
4 comments:
We have a lot of problems with birds at our gardens, mostly pigeons. They are really a huge problem, and generally require expensive nets that are a pain to put up and take down. In addition, a pigeon flying full force into a net carries quite a bit of momentum, so the nets have to be made sturdy coming from all directions. My guess is your night pest is most likely some kind of bird.
An alternative to nets, which doesn't work as well, are things that blow in the wind and either make noise or are brightly colored.
I find it really difficult to grow anything red, because the birds tend to eat it. I have taken to growing white strawberries, and I'm slowly switching to other colored fruits and berries.
I used to have terrible problems with peas I planted in the open ground. They disappeared, never to be seen again. In the end, I managed a row by cloching it. It had to be pigeons, which are a real pest. So to be on the safe side, I start them under cover, especially now I grow more and more rare varieties.
I wouldn't even try to start beans out of doors; even a near-frost can do for them. A chilly night last week left me having to replant another lot of Cosse Violette, and that was nowhere near a frost.
I too have had problems with pests and peas, so I now always sow my peas in a length of plastic drainpipe, cut in half down the middle, I find this helps a lot.
I'm having the same trouble this year I think - usually plant indoors but being short on time this year sowed them outside and three weeks later I've yet to see a single seedling! Think I'll be sowing the rest indoors to be on the safe side. Thanks for the advice!
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