FOR NEW PEEPS, Chitting beans.

[nickdub]

You're very welcome - happy gardening :-)

[4Shoes]

Good thread... Wish I'd done this for my beans - 1 whole tray of pots failed.

Other trays 50% failure. At least if I'd done this I could have saved the wait and disappointment of no beans to plant on.

[Runtpuppy]

Good thread... Wish I'd done this for my beans - 1 whole tray of pots failed.

Other trays 50% failure. At least if I'd done this I could have saved the wait and disappointment of no beans to plant on.

I guess you still can. I believe it is recommended that you keep sowing beans every 3-4 weeks for a regular, non-stop supply. Plus, being the nitrogen-fixers that they are, most other vegetables are happy to have them growing near them. I have them growing between strawberries. The new lot will be put in with the spinach. I may even try a few with tomatoes, maybe some in the rose pots. I only wish cabbages didn't dislike them so much.

[nickdub]

I guess you still can. I believe it is recommended that you keep sowing beans every 3-4 weeks for a regular, non-stop supply. Plus, being the nitrogen-fixers that they are, most other vegetables are happy to have them growing near them. I have them growing between strawberries. The new lot will be put in with the spinach. I may even try a few with tomatoes, maybe some in the rose pots. I only wish cabbages didn't dislike them so much.

As it gets later in the season, for anyone wanting to sow more peas its best to switch to "early" varieties. I know this sounds a bit "bass-ackwards" but the reason is earlies mature quicker, so they have a better chance of finishing before the weather intervenes, if sown in July/August say.

[Runtpuppy]

As it gets later in the season, for anyone wanting to sow more peas its best to switch to "early" varieties. I know this sounds a bit "bass-ackwards" but the reason is earlies mature quicker, so they have a better chance of finishing before the weather intervenes, if sown in July/August say.

Oh, that makes sense! Never thought of that...

[jdlondon]

Never even thought of this, thanks. Will try with my next lot. Beans I sowed out have been iffy, only a few coming up.

[Mamzie]

I am definitely gonna try this, what a fab idea

[broadway]

Well you learn something new everyday

[jdlondon]

Just soaked a whole mix this afternoon, but I got told that beans can rot really fast so soaking for more than a few hours was not recommended?!

I got them out and did the wet tissue plastic bag combo - but still, what do you think about the not soaking overnight thing? It seems to work for people, but there seems to be a 'soak peas, not beans' school of thought going on too.

Just curious. My brain hurts from all the learning.

[lottie dolly]

HI how are they doing,

i soak overnight,all beans,but only keep just damp after,sounds like you have done great,they will rot if kept constantly wet,that's why soak and chit is good,as not all seeds are goers,this year seems to be a bad year for things germinating,a lot are taking much longer for some reason,i almost gave up on carrots and snips,but hey ho,they showing,time wil tell if they amount to much,at least they tried .

[Plot70]

I am about to do dwarf beans this year.
From past times the seed puts a root down and then rises up a couple of inches and splits to reveal the first two leaves.

[Muddy_Boots]

I've just had a light bulb moment after reading this thread and then was cutting up plastic 4 pint milk cartons to stick plant labels onto for the rows of planted stuff later. Where the bottom seam is around the base, I cut around that and was about to discard it when I thought they would be good to use to chit seeds in. I folded a piece of kitchen roll up 4 times and it was just slightly larger than the base and because the base has a slight lip it holds water so the chitting seeds can be kept moist and they won't fall out the base container with the kitchen roll.

I've tried it and it works great and its small enough so that it doesn't take up loads of room. Just my two pennies worth of idea.

[Bren In Pots]

Good idea MB.

We have milkman glass bottle deliveries so this is out for me.
Instead I use takeout plastic containers and kitchen roll, the lids handy for keeping the moisture in and they’re stackable.

[Muddy_Boots]

Instead I use takeout plastic containers and kitchen roll, the lids handy for keeping the moisture in and they’re stackable.

I've tried that idea and they are better for stacking in the airing cupboard, got my Toms seeds in 4 of them at this moment as I'm growing a few as I have a potential to grow enough to feed the five thousand with my new plot lol

[marysuegardens]

As it gets later in the season, for anyone wanting to sow more peas its best to switch to "early" varieties. I know this sounds a bit "bass-ackwards" but the reason is earlies mature quicker, so they have a better chance of finishing before the weather intervenes, if sown in July/August say.

I've been doing this for years. I thought it
was so obvious that everyone did it.