Seeds from Madeira

[Oliver Buckle]

The missus has just been on holiday and brought me back seeds from Madeira, They are a tomato called RAF and a bean called Buenos Aires Roja. The cultivation notes on the packet are somewhat sketchy, and though I have looked them up on the web I am still a bit unclear. Will the tomato grow outside in this country (UK) ? All the references say either inside or out, but then talk about commercial greenhouse growing in Northern Spain. Am I too late to plant either this year? I found a reference that said I could plant the beans up to July and harvest til December, but I am guessing that is not in the UK, even though I live in the South. One site said they are early, another early to mid, another late.
My greenhouse is full of tomatoes already, so if they can't go out I might just wait until next year before planting. Similarly with the beans, they may well do better for a longer season. The packet calls the beans 'Tall bush', but the web describes them as 'Pole beans', the packet also says 'Plant 4 to 6 beans per hole', which seems pessimistic, I am also thinking I might do better to plant indoors in individual pots in this country.

Does anybody have any experience of growing either of these in England? Any info gratefully received.

 

[headfullofbees]

The traditional day for planting beans historically in the UK is 1st June, so you're fine there.
Plant 4-6 per hole, because it may well be that each pole will take that number, or half, if that's what they think germination rate will be.
I sow three runner beans per cane, & the vast majority come up & deliver. (This year it's 43 from 54.)
Unfortunately, because your tomatoes are large ones, I think you've missed the boat on them, but they will keep until next year, if you store them cool & dry.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Thanks for the reply, partly I asked because they are exotic beans, not my normal 'runners', and actually look quite different on the packet. I normally grow runner beans in cardboard tubes and plant out 9" apart, never tried putting so many together, though I do give them a trench full of compost, so there could well be enough moisture and nutrition.
I shall get out there today and plant them, though I am not sure 'Historically' counts in a way. Watching Chris Packham on Spring Watch the other day he was comparing historical and present day studies and it seems Spring has moved back considerably, things are happening a full month earlier than they did in the late 1940's early 1950's.
It seems I can get these red beans here in what looks like an identical packet, so if they don't work I can always try again next year
Thanks again.