Dwarf French Bean Germination Rates?

[Chef_uk]

I'm really taking some losses with sowing my Dwarf French Beans. I'm currently sowing them one per pot in moist compost at 1" deep, covering with clingfilm, and placing in the airing cupboard. Of the 20 i have sown, in two batches of 10, only 4 have germinated in total and one of those was a bit weak to begin with. Pack was new this March. Am i trying to start them off in to much heat?

[Nicos]

Not sure- what happened to the others- are they just sat there looking at you- or have they rotted?

[veggiechicken]

Are you sure they haven't germnated? Have you checked for roots? Mine germinate very erratically These were all sown on the 9th May.

[Florence Fennel]

Mine have been about a week, nothing yet, but they're in the stayput, not inside. Maybe a rubbish batch of seed Chef?

[kathyd]

Mine all rotted in their pots Chef - I turned them out the other day to find out why nothing was showing, and found just soggy white bits in the pot . I think it's too cold in my polytunnel or something - hard to know whether to leave the next batch in the tunnel or bung them in the propogator! It's a very confusing year isn't it?

[alex-adam]

Try the damp paper method - you know as we all did at school - A piece of damp kitchen paper in a plastic box, scatter the beans, cover and keep somewhere warm. Check after a few days, some beans will have put out small rootlets - pot these up, just keep looking at the beans in the box every day and pot up when rootlet shows. - I do this with all my beans, and generally get 95%++ germination.

[zazen999]

I've just managed to get some really really old beans to germinate - vermiculite in plastic bag, some water and put in the heated prop. I only had 6 of them so I need at least one to grow or I lose the lot.

[redser]

+1 for chitting. Soak the beans/peas in a glass of warm water for 24 hours to soften them up first. Then I put two layers of kitchen towel on a plate, drizzled some warm water on it, sprinkle the beans/peas on top and cover the plate with cling film. Did it last sunday, 3 plates of dwarf french beans, oregon sugar snap and hurst green shaft. 100% germination in 2-3 days. Popped them into root trainers. All 32 were up an inch high as of yesterday and put them up in the tunnel last night to grow on. Easy peasey in one week.
Be sure to put the plates in some light but not in direct sunshine. A north facing window ledge would be good.

[SarzWix]

Lots of my white-seeded beans have struggled this year, rotting being the worst problem. But some of them have been very very confused by which ways is up, and I've found roots poking out of the surface and had to tip them out and put them the right way up. All the other beans have done fine sown and put in the heated prop.
I plan to sow some more of my Tarbais white beans, but will try the chitting method with them first...

[VirginVegGrower]

Just down mine so hoping they don't rot, have put them on windowsills inside.

[Chef_uk]

Here's the ones that did germinate, as you can see, growing very strongly.



I dig in to the compost of the failed ones and all thats there is white mush a bit like the insides of a peanut.

Never had any problems with any other beans hence to why i've used the same method.

I'll try the kitchen roll method and see how that goes. Thanks all.

[Two_Sheds]

only 4 have germinated in total

Mine are poor this year too: it's been too dark, too cold

Lots of my white-seeded beans have struggled this year, rotting being the worst problem.

White beans are really prone to rotting. I chit, but don't soak the white beans for too long, just a few hours rather than overnight

I just chit in takeaway boxes now, I don't bother with kitchen paper (the roots can get tangled in it and break off)

[bojangles]

Im going to try tour idea Two sheds now as only 3 out of the 12 have show up!! Gutted!! How much water did you use ?? Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

How much water did you use ?

No idea ...

[Paulottie]

"I just chit in takeaway boxes now, I don't bother with kitchen paper"

Goodness TS times are hard....has it really come to that?!