Broad beans again

Well, I have a tray full of autumn sown broad beans bursting out of their pots, the plants are about 4 ins high. Do I need to repot or put them in the (very soggy, heavy) ground ?

They do need to go outside-can you cover the ground with something to keep more rain off and dry it our a bit -a cloche would be ideal?

Where are the pots now?

They're undercover of a old plastic greenhouse, no door and ripped sides, so sheltered but not overly hot. I can possibly rig up a temporary cloche if I plant them out, but the soil is just so wet.

That is why I say cover it-to give it chance to dry out-could you rig up some sort of polythene covering?

I would put them outside for now- in the pots against a wall or sheltered spot-there is some dry weather in the forecast -so there may be a window for planting appearing

Yes I agree, put them in their pots outside in a light and sheltered spot so they don't develop soft growth - Broad beans are very hardy - and when we've had a few drying days - and they have promised us a few drying days - get them in the ground as soon as you can.  

I always sow mine direct into the soil late Oct early Nov and I've got some nice stocky little plants now.  100% germination too   They're looking good .......... so far!

I'll get them out asap then, they're looking healthy so far

My bean seeds seem to just disappear and this is the second year in very different weather conditions that only a few seem to grow out of the many that I plant. Is it mice or birds? Any ideas please?

I agree with Dove, mine went in during the Autumn and are now very sturdy, last two years the seedlings have survived the snow very well.

I planted my autumn beans and they grew about 3" outside in a raised bed, then the last couple of months I have covered them up with a cloche and fleece but they seem to be eaten by something.  Does anyone know what could be eating them and what I can do, will they be able to be saved?... the leaves are being nibbled not the stalks and they are about 6" high now. This is the first time I have done any winter planting so hope I have done the right thing in planting them out.  The blinking squirrels seem to be eating all my bulbs too even though they are covered in netting.

summerpots wrote (see)

I planted my autumn beans and they grew about 3" outside in a raised bed, then the last couple of months I have covered them up with a cloche and fleece but they seem to be eaten by something.  Does anyone know what could be eating them and what I can do, will they be able to be saved?... the leaves are being nibbled not the stalks and they are about 6" high now. This is the first time I have done any winter planting so hope I have done the right thing in planting them out.  The blinking squirrels seem to be eating all my bulbs too even though they are covered in netting.

You have done the right thing in planting them out-you have done the wrong thing by cloching and fleecing them.

They are hardy veg and do not need protection-what has happened is you have some soft growth that something has found tasty-remove all the covering and leave them open to toughen up.

Inspect the leaves it might be a rogue snail/slug that has not cleared off yet,something that has found a food source-difficult to say exactly what.

so should I uncover them then and let them harden off properly. is it too late.. 

summerpots wrote (see)

so should I uncover them then and let them harden off properly. is it too late.. 

Yes -do it now-it is relatively mild-so they can get used to it

thank you, I will go and sort them out this morning.