Doh! Have I made a mistake?

[lainey lou]

Ok, so I thought I was being really clever "chitting" my broadies on some damp kitchen roll just like my Dad and my Grandad do. After a few days they all got a shoot (or a root?) so I planted them in newspaper pots. That was a week ago and there is no sign of my beans.
I planted the shooty bit facing upwards, now I'm wondering if it was actually a root and I planted it upside down!
Am I being impatient or do I need to excavated a put them right side up?

Help!!!!!!!

[FionaH]

Pretty sure you plant them shoot side up

[zazen999]

Shoot end down - it's the root. Sorry.

[di]

I'd have thought you've done it the right way...I thought the shoot appears first??....but I'm wrong on many occassions so don't trust me!!!
Could you have a little root around in one of the pots & see what's hapening??
DD & DS helped plant some onion sets last year...thankfully I checked when they'd done...two rows of upside down onions!!!

[di]

Shoot end down - it's the root. Sorry.

.....like I said...I'm often wrong!!

[FionaH]

Shoot end down - it's the root. Sorry.

Me too!

[lainey lou]

Might have to go and investigate then!!!
Serves me right for trying to be clever!!

[SarzWix]

Well, in theory, if it was the root (I think it was, I think the root comes first) then it should find it's way down eventually, and the shoot should find it's way up. But you might have slowed it down somewhat, or maybe tied it in knots...
I'd be very tempted to rootle about in one of them and see what's happening...

[SarzWix]

Found this, bit technical, but yeah, root first.

The embryo located in the seed has the following parts-:

1) Radicle 2) plumule 3) cotyledon/s 4)endosperm.

At the time of germination it is the radicle that comes out of the seed coat first and grows in the direction of soil/moisture. Radicle is the precursor of the root system.
If you soak peas or beans in water for a few hours and then keep them for germination then with in 4 to 6 hours you can see the white radicles sprouting out of the seeds.
In fact the statement 'sprouted seeds or grams or beans or wheat' means exactly what is stated above.

Only when the radicle has sufficiently grown and formed the primary root, the plumule begins to grow and forms the shoot.

The food required for this development is drawn from either the cotyledon/s or the endosperm.

[zazen999]

I only know because I did the same thing...and have watched beans grow pretty much before my eyes.

The root comes out and goes down and gets established. Then the bean head opens up and out pop the first two leaves. The beans sit on the side of the stalk, presumably the first two stairs when Jack decided to climb up. You can see their little arms on my piccie here - these are from the original two sides of the bean that you planted.

[lainey lou]

Ok I've had a little furtle in a couple, the shoots, sorry roots(!!) seem to be making their way downwards, so do you think it's safe to leave them or should I correct my mistake?

[zazen999]

I'd leave them be now...I've seen an experiment where they turned the beans daily and they grew in corkscrew shapes They might shoot upwards at odd angles but they will get there eventually.

[di]

Sorry Lainey...but can I nick your thread a mo...& I'm actually a little embarrassed what I'm going to ask!!...but does this mean I should be planting my beans a certain way up for optimum success???...I usually just drop them in their little holes...some come up strong& others not quite so good.

[lainey lou]

Ok I'll leave them and see what happens!
I'm starting off a different type today - crimson flowered, will try to do it right this time!!

[lainey lou]

Sorry Lainey...but can I nick your thread a mo...& I'm actually a little embarrassed what I'm going to ask!!...but does this mean I should be planting my beans a certain way up for optimum success???...I usually just drop them in their little holes...some come up strong& others not quite so good.

but of course! And please don't be embarassed, we're all learning!