Dwarf Bean Flagrano (Flageolet) Seeds

Sow indoors for surest results April-May, 2.5cm (1") deep into individual pots of compost. Water well and place in a warm position. A temperature of 15-20°C (60-68°F) is ideal. Keep moist. Seedlings usually appear in 7-14 days. Gradually accustom plants to outside conditions (avoid frosts), before planting out 25cm (10") apart, during May-June when frosts are over. Allow 45cm (18") between rows. Or sow outdoors May-June for ease, where they are to crop, 5cm (2") deep, directly into finely-prepared, well-cultivated, fertile soil, which has already been watered. Delay sowing if soil is cold or waterlogged. Sow two seeds together, 30cm (1') between each position. Allow 45cm (18") between rows. Thin to leave stronger plant. Water well until plants are established. Harvest: June-October.

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French Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) prefer light, fertile soil with good drainage. If growing on heavy, clay soils the best thing to do is to improve the soil where they are to grow. Dig a deep trench, mixing plenty of well-rotted compost and/or manure into it as you go along, and break up any clumps into a fine and crumbly texture. The soil should then become lighter and airier, with a finer and looser structure into which to sow seeds or plant young bean plants.

The other most important tip is that French beans dislike cold soil and chilly night-time temperatures, so avoid sowing or planting them out too early. A plant sown later into warmer conditions will easily catch up and perform better than those struggling plants that were sown or planted out when it was still too cold. A plant that has stopped growing (because of cold shock for example), is difficult to get growing vigorously again, and may even fail reach its previous full potential.

If sowing directly outdoors, it is best to wait until night-time, and soil temperatures are approx. 10°C or above.
To get a head start, sow indoors in pots, and then plant them out when night-time and soil temperatures are approx. 10°C or above.

Before planting out, be sure to harden young plants off first, gradually acclimatising them to outdoor conditions!
To harden off, place the plants outside during the day for a few hours (avoid late cold snaps etc.) and bring them inside again at night as evening temperatures fall. Gradually increase the daily time they spend outdoors over a couple weeks, until they are fully acclimatized and will grow away strongly to give the best possible crops.

All of us at Mr Fothergill’s genuinely care for our customers and insist that the quality of all our seeds, plants, garden equipment and level of customer service are of the highest standards – we want you to enjoy shopping with us. However, we are only human and very occasionally things can go wrong with the picking or delivery process. Please rest assured that, on the rare occasions where this proves to be the case, we will always do our very best to put things right.

Returns Policy

Seeds If you have any concerns or problems with your seeds, please return the packet to us for replacement using the returns address label on your despatch note, telling us what the problem is. Returning the packet will enable us to trace the batch from which it was packed, and to thoroughly investigate any quality control issues.

Returns Policy

All other products Should you have any problems with live product or garden equipment items, please contact our Customer Services Team advising the nature of your concern before returning the product.

Return Postage

Costs If a product we have supplied is defective, damaged, or incorrectly supplied, we will be happy to resolve this issue at no cost, either by replacing, refunding or collecting and exchanging the item. If you wish to return a product which was correctly supplied, but which did not meet with your expectations, in accordance with your rights under The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations, we may require you to cover the cost of return. Please contact our Customer Services Team before returning the goods in this case, who will confirm the correct return address and method of return.

Refund Payments

Once a returned item arrives with us, we will refund where appropriate using the same payment method used at the time of ordering, within 14 days.