I would have said that late Oct beg Nov soon enough to try planting beans.
may be old pkts check the date on the pkt if you still have them
Heather
from a waterlogged Auckland.

hi Heather

The ones on the fridge are so far doing much better. The others were in 'the glasshouse' (sounds good but it's nothing so posh, really!) so I thought it would be warm enough.

I'd rather have your rain than my frost! The thin-leaved hostas now have mushy patches; a round-leaf Rhodo had most of its flowers turn brown; and the leaves on the Hydrangea are dangling. Frost cloth saved the 'out of the zone' plants but I never thought to cover the ones that got hit.

Have you had any dealings with Coprosma acerosa 'Taiko'? I bought a bedraggled and ancient 'topiary' with this as a subject and the root system is pathetic. Straight into river grit and compost to take a breath and start again - but if you've any shortcuts to a better root mass - love to hear them.

hi vetivert8

I have had some bean disasters this year too,
saved lots of heirloom seed from plants I grew last year from seeds i was given and the long wet spell sure took its toll on them, or else the slugs were particularly bad at the time. I also planted some dwarf beans from a friend who had a big tin full and none made it past the two leaf stage :( I found purple varieties have done the best for some reason.
I have tried to grow somme barlotti beans and some dalmation beans twice each now without success. I love growing beans, especially pole types up bamboo teepees

About the only place my beans actually climb is through the grape!

There's another sowing in and the first root is breaking out. I know this because the last splosh of rain (and hail and a touch of snow) swelled the seeds and brought them very near the surface.

The tomatoes are doing quite well. And the first setting of basil is settling in. I'm trying a purply red variety this year, in a big hanging pot. It smells gorgeous. Hopefully, having it 'on high' will keep the plants from being swamped under rampant things - and let them catch whatever sun we're up for this year. I love not having to water too often - but I'd like a touch more sun in the week, too!