Really stupid runner bean question! :D

[Jelliebabe]

I planted some runner beans in little peat pots (mistake number one) and some of them have come up okay (now far too big for the pot - only planted on Friday!) and some of them appear to be upside down!

Is there a right way up to plant the seed?

Thanks Peeps - answers on a postcard when you've stopped chuckling!

[shirlthegirl43]

How do you mean upside down?

[Jax]

I've had the same here. I always plant mine on their edge but hubby just chucks them in and we have had the odd one grow upside down just move the compost from around it and put it up the right way up

[Jelliebabe]

Thanks Jax! by on the edge, do you mean with the dip pointing up - U? Or down - n? or sideways C?

Shirl - Literally one the roots are coming out of the top - and as they are peat pots one has the roots at the top and the shoot coming out of the side! I will put a pic on later. They are daft little pots - shall not use them for such large items again!

[shirlthegirl43]

WOW, can't say I have ever seen that! What fun now tempted to sow some runny beans in peat pots

[chris]

lol jelliebabe, all the U's N's and C's pictured in my head made me laugh and turn a few heads in the office.

[rustylady]

I plant my bean seeds in toilet roll tubes filled with compost. Gives them a chance to sort themselves out and come up the right way up!!

[Jelliebabe]

Warned you it was daft!

[Potstubsdustbins]

The root comes from the scar in the dip of the seed so to be correct you should plant with the scar down.

However gravity is a wonderful thing and I just bung em in.

Colin.

[Bren In Pots]

Shirl - Literally one the roots are coming out of the top - and as they are peat pots one has the roots at the top and the shoot coming out of the side! I will put a pic on later. They are daft little pots - shall not use them for such large items again!

I think what's happening is there's not enough space in those pots for the seed to turn its self the right way around, I'd be tempted to re-pot it.

[Florian]

Same thing happened to one of mine. It looked like an alien! I just righted in myself and it seems fine now

[bronwen]

Wow, that sounds so funny! Interesting thread

[Flummery]

I think you're just seeing the root, which emerges first. It will go downward by itself, then the shoot comes later. Don't worry. They can sort themselves out!

[Jelliebabe]

Thanks Flum - they are indeed sorting themselves out - either by turning over or growing out of the sides of the pots!

Lessons learnt -
A - use a bigger pot
B - not to worry too much with runner beans as they sort themselves out in the end!

thanks

[Two_Sheds]

I've had them grow upside down too - the stem comes up and curls over into a C shape then back down into the soil

Not as bad as the onion sets: I wasn't vigilant enough and the kids planted over half of them upside down. It only became apparent when I checked to see why leaves weren't appearing