Garden Work

Runner beans and French beans may be sown now in small pots of compost and placed in a warm, bright place to sprout

Runner beans and French beans may be sown now in small pots of compost and placed in a warm, bright place to sprout. Plant out in the garden, in fertile soil when all danger of frost is past. Protect from slugs with tall collars made from plastic mineral water or soft drink bottles. Runner beans, with their pretty red, red-and-white, or pink flowers look good growing up a wigwam in a cottage-garden type border, or across an arch, if you don't have room for a vegetable patch. When the pods start appearing, be sure to pick them constantly, otherwise the plants will stop producing. Keep watered in dry spells.

It's still a bit risky to plant out tender bedding, so hold off for another couple of weeks in warmer areas, and another month in cold regions. Instead concentrate on keeping the garden weed-free. Already many weeds are flowering and setting the seeds that ensure their survival for future generations.