Your comments and tips

09 Jan 12, bob g (Australia - temperate climate)

Yes Peter, I've been doing it for years. Also, if you want to grow peas [spring crop] Buy a bag of dried peas from your supermarket - off the shelf where they keep split peas, lentils etc. Much cheaper and great crop. If you have problems with powdery mildew, spray with a mixture of one part full cream milk to twelve parts water.

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01 Mar 12, PJ (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Young dwarf beans have 2 major enemies - birds & snails/slugs.To stop these pests, i do the following. - place beans on a sheet of moist kitchen paper in a plastic take away food container. wrap the whole thing in a plastic bag & fold the bag end under the container. place container in a warm spot (NOT direct sun). After 5 days, transplant the now germinated seed to a pot. Use a net to deter birds & put pot on raised bench or table - keep moist. Once the plants are 10cm high, transplant to garden. Bury plant stem deep so leaves are well above soil - enjoy lots of beans as snails & birds will now leave them alone

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08 Feb 13, G Naidoo (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)

What can you plant to keep snails away now

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15 Jun 13, Lesley (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

I keep all my egg shells - dry them out in the oven and then crush and scatter them around the plants. (all plants) to keep the snails at bay. This Summer I forgot to do this and the snail invasion was horrendous! I don't know of any plants that would acheive this. Good luck!

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07 Apr 14, Graham Pearl (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

Tobacco Dust and Coffee... A simple Google search will let you know more.

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15 Oct 18, Tessa (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

Lemongrass has silicone intheir leaves- nasty papercuts! So I chop n drop them when I thin them out :)

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10 Feb 13, Karl (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Try a bit of beer in a can, such as an old tuna can or the like. The snails love the yeasty sugars and get trapped in the can.

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22 Feb 13, steve australia (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

yep the use of lime with beans is paramount and i get good germination by having my soil in adark damp friabiable condition and sow in furrow made by the back of rake and covered with apiece of old roof guttering untill they germinate

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16 Apr 13, bob marly (Australia - temperate climate)

how long does it take for dwarf beans to begin sprouting?

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30 Apr 13, Sustainable Jill (Australia - temperate climate)

Depends on temperature...and whether or not the seeds have been eaten, or rotted because they were too wet. If you are growing in the right temperature (warm) it shouldn't be very long - maybe a week or a bit longer if the soil is cool.

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