runner bean plants.

I would think it depends on where you live, and the climate there. And the quality of the outside soil.
From my experience they're very adaptable. I would try planting a few outside, as long as they have good support, bamboo wigwam etc.
Water regularly in dry weather.
Then if they do alright, put the rest out.

Planted mine out early May a few years ago and had to replant after a late frost! I always wait till middle of May now, even here in Teddington .

Mine are out - but Ill keep an eye on the weather :-)

Wow. I haven't even put mine in yet

Mine are only just emerging in the greenhouse. Next door has all his bean poles in and the beans legging it up the poles.!!!

I’ve put some outside this week and keeping some in the greenhouse as spares in case of frost.

Great idea to only put some out, never thought of that, will give it a go.Thanks for the tip.

How do you pinch out the tops? Never been sure about that?

I've never heard of pinching out tops of runner beans.
Tomatoes, yes.
I suppose the main thing is that the plant should have plenty of flowers eventually, put its strength into producing them, rather than growing upwards.

I take the tops off when they are about a foot longer than the poles, but at the moment mine are in the shed haven’t even sprouted yet, one night of frost and they’ll be gone if left outside.

Mine look ready to plant out but I'll wait a week or so. Last year there were some failures so I poked in a few more beans in the gaps and had a better succession.

There was an article about this in our local paper today. Reminded me about 'hardening off'. ie before transplanting into open ground put the plants outside , in their pots, in a sheltered spot. Until the risk of frost is over.
I'll be interested to see when the last frost is in the NE - it feels as if the climate here is much milder than it was when we lived here nearly 20 years ago.

Apparently the weather is going to be cold this weekend, with Siberian winds and the possibility of frost!

We lost some of ours last year to a late frost, won't be planting out until mid May

Mine have been out for over a week! Going great guns, we are in the SE though.

There is a north wind this weekend and we could get frost anywhere in the UK
So those of you with beans outside rig up some kind of tent with bean sticks and drape a cover over, a old duvet is ideal, plastic is better than nothing.

I asked our gardener and he said that you shouldn't plant runner beans outside until the risk of frost has dissapeared. I suppose that depends where you live

I was told by my father-in-law '1st of May is runner bean day'. This meant planting the beans outside in the ground on May 1st. I was going to plant some today but realised the packet said they would germinate between 15 and 21 degrees. As its not that temperature outside I've planted in trays and currently got in the lounge by a sunny window.
I think it's too early to plant outside and if it was me I'd take a risk and pinch out the tops if they are already 12". Pinching out is normally done when they reach the top of the canes outdoors though so I've no idea what would happen. I'm a 50/50 garden, take risks and think everything has a 50/50 chance lol.