How to avoid Broad Beans rotting in cold

[Marb67]

Sod's law I sowed my broad beans in the cold greenhouse over the weekend when nice and warm, giving the modules a soak in warm water to get them started. Now it has gone very cold and I fear they will rot over the next few days as the compost is still very damp. It isn't really practical to bring them indoors as I don't really have the central heating on. Will they now just rot seeing as the next few days are going to stay cold ? Thanks.

[ameno]

Broad beans are very hardy. They will not rot due to cold. If the beans rot at all, it will be because of problems with the beans themselves, and would have happened regardless of conditions.

[Marb67]

Broad beans are very hardy. They will not rot due to cold. If the beans rot at all, it will be because of problems with the beans themselves, and would have happened regardless of conditions.

Ok, thanks. I ask as usually peas rot in the greenhouse and the last lot of broad beans sowed in pots in Autumn outside all rotted.

[nick the grief]

Ok, thanks. I ask as usually peas rot in the greenhouse and the last lot of broad beans sowed in pots in Autumn outside all rotted.

What variety was it ? some aren't meant to be sown till spring (depending where you live) others will overwinter but in my garden I've found that spring sown are usually better plants you just have to be aware of black fly

[Marb67]

What variety was it ? some aren't meant to be sown till spring (depending where you live) others will overwinter but in my garden I've found that spring sown are usually better plants you just have to be aware of black fly

I think they were the Sutton (the ones I had left over) and Aquadulce.

[nick the grief]

I think they were the Sutton (the ones I had left over) and Aquadulce.

hmm can't offer any thoughts on that then. Still OK to re-sow though.

[Andraste]

I had some french beans (dwarf & climbing) & broadies that rotted on me last year - spring sown in modules in a blowaway greenhouse (broadies earlier than french obviously - broadies being an earlier sowing & not needing as much warmth & all that).

It could well have been the seed - a few people said they thought that was to blame - but I'm not 100% convinced.

Usually I start everything on a windowsill - unheated in the kitchen where it's fairly cool at this time of year, just in modules with a plastic bag on their heads. I don't take the bag off until they sprout. They don't need water until at least a week after I take the bag off as the evaporate-y bits on the bag drip back to the module & the compost stays at a fairly consistent moistness.

My mistake was getting excited about the new blowaway & putting the modules straight in there without bag-hats, then worrying the compost was drying out & that was why they weren't sprouting, so giving them water just in case. It seemed like a tiny bit of water that wouldn't harm & could only do good (excess would drip out of the little holes surely)...............

In retrospect, I think I was overwatering - seeds can't drink up water like plant roots, so I was keeping them too 'wet' instead of 'moist'. I drowned to poor little beggars

This year I'll be back to the windowsill with bag-hats, then moving to them hatless to the blowaway when they start popping up.

Edited to add:

I wouldn't worry about the warm water beforehand (temp will drop to the environment fairly quickly anyway I'd have thought). I also never pre-soaked my beans until last year so I won't be doing that again either. I do throw them in a glass & plant the sinkers rather than the floaters - but I have no real science for doing that, it just feels right to me.

Re being cold in the house - I do hope your house isn't colder than the greenhouse (although I appreciate heating costs are huge & you can't persuade plants to wear extra jumpers etc.). I reckon they'd be quite happy if you brought them inside if that's what you wanted to do. Like I said, I usually start mine indoors. I would move them to your greenhouse when they stick their heads up as if they get growing inside you'll have to fiddle around hardening them off (I'm such a lazy grower I hate doing that if I don't really have to).