Broad Beans have got African Bruchid Beetle

[Snadger]

I planted mine from T&M a week or so ago without examining them. I wonder whether the beetle kills the seed embryo?

*Why am I scratching*??????

[WeeGarden]

I soaked my broad beans this year as a few didn't germinate last year which was a waste of a toilet roll and seed compost, and so I thought I'd give them a head start. I found a few with holes like above, and wasn't observant enough to see if there were any beetles. I bought the seeds last year, they were The Sutton.

*Why am I scratching*??????

*Where* are you scratching???????

[binley100]

Now I'm scratching.........

[binley100]

..........seriously tho' does it help to soak 'em before you sow 'em?

[Two_Sheds]

Yes Binley, I think so. Not all the pack will germinate, and by soaking (and chitting) you can see which are goers.

Not everyone will agree, of course

[poly]

I bought some seeds (at the end of last year from T&M) which indeed have a few holes, so I’ll be getting in touch with them.

So far this year I have already planted a few different varieties from a few sources, without checking. Although I have checked the remaining seed if any and they seem ok.

I have now placed all of my remaining BB seeds in a plastic container in the freezer. I'm going to leave them there for a minimum of a week, probably longer. This should take care of any possible nasties.

[Snadger]

I bought some seeds (at the end of last year from T&M) which indeed have a few holes, so I’ll be getting in touch with them.

So far this year I have already planted a few different varieties from a few sources, without checking. Although I have checked the remaining seed if any and they seem ok.

I have now placed all of my remaining BB seeds in a plastic container in the freezer. I'm going to leave them there for a minimum of a week, probably longer. This should take care of any possible nasties.

Will freezing the seed not kill the embryo thus stopping the seeds from growing?

[Flummery]

Will freezing the seed not kill the embryo thus stopping the seeds from growing?

Not if the seeds are thoroughly dried. You need to dry them with a packet of silica gel in the box first though, if you intend to freeze them for storage. You can keep forzen seeds for AGES - that's what they're doing in that big Seed Bank thingie. But they have to be VERY well dried. I wouldn't risk it without a thorough silica gelling.

[Snadger]

Not if the seeds are thoroughly dried. You need to dry them with a packet of silica gel in the box first though, if you intend to freeze them for storage. You can keep forzen seeds for AGES - that's what they're doing in that big Seed Bank thingie. But they have to be VERY well dried. I wouldn't risk it without a thorough silica gelling.

Didn't know that Flum! I always thought they kept seed in the seed bank in some sort of chryogenic tank with liquid Nitrogen or summat!

[RedThorn]

errm, isn't that what liquid nitrogen does, freeze them?

[stupot]

Yep freezes them very fast so ice crystals don't have a chance to form and break cell walls. Just today ordered some crimson broadies as I planted out all the broadies kindly donated by TS in November and now they're all gone. School boy error - always hold some seed back

I will be soaking and chitting my seeds after reading this - thanks TS!

[binley100]

Yes Binley, I think so. Not all the pack will germinate, and by soaking (and chitting) you can see which are goers.

Not everyone will agree, of course

Never having done this before do you just soak the beans in a pot of cold water overnight and then chitting . Is that leaving them on damp kitchen roll . Does it have to be somewhere warm ?

[Two_Sheds]

Binley, do it exactly how you would do beansprouts that you would eat

[chris]

Yuck.

Do these beggers affect other beans too?

*itching* thinking about them.

[binley100]

Binley, do it exactly how you would do beansprouts that you would eat

Confession time - I've never grown beansprouts

but I've now got my bored beans in soaking