French Bean germination failure

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French Bean germination failure
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Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 10 7:41 pm Post subject:
I had a dig around in the root trainers for the "lost" french beans and out can mostly grey rotted mush the compost has dried out virtually now so have re-sown but NOT watered and also planted the seeds eye down as I did not want any throwing thier roots out the top again

Vanessa

Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 8324

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 10 8:36 pm Post subject:
The seeds I soaked at the weekend (done Sunday evening) are still on wet kitchen roll. The French beans are just starting to show signs of growth, so I'll be planting them out tomorrow. Runner beans are fat, but not growing yet ... ditto peas and sweetcorn (these are all succession plantings)

zigs

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 524
Location: Somerset

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 10 9:06 pm Post subject:

Res wrote:

I had a dig around in the root trainers for the "lost" french beans and out can mostly grey rotted mush

the compost has dried out virtually now so have re-sown but NOT watered and also planted the seeds eye down as I did not want any throwing thier roots out the top again

Come down here and i'll give you some

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9878
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 10 12:43 pm Post subject:
i dont have trouble germinating French beans.. I always raise them in the greenhouse first, and get them big enough to fend of slugs. i think they rot if you overwater.. i am more of an underwaterer.

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 10 4:11 pm Post subject:

colour it green wrote:

i am more of an underwaterer.

I am normally in the situation but this year I am trying to be more on the ball and proative.....maybe too much in this case

Its also the first time I have used root trainers and they seem to hold the water better than my usual tray cells. Well as they say, nothing ventured....

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 10 4:14 pm Post subject:

ziggy searchfield wrote:

Come down here and i'll give you some

the season will be over by the time I get to summerset on my bicycle

but thank you

zigs

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 524
Location: Somerset

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 10 6:12 pm Post subject:

Res wrote:

ziggy searchfield wrote:

Come down here and i'll give you some

the season will be over by the time I get to summerset on my bicycle

but thank you

LOL, no worries. i just had a thought of an experiment we did in primary school to demonstrate geotropism and phototropism, we filled a pint mug with blotting paper & put the bean seeds halfway up the mug against the glass so we could see them, then put water in the bottom, only enough soaked up to germinate them, none rotted.

zigs

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 524
Location: Somerset

Posted: Wed Jun 16, 10 6:16 pm Post subject:
Just had another thought, its getting on season wise, so might be best to set up a wigwam indoors, french beans are perenials so with a natural daylight blub you could be harvesting beans at christmas, also decorate it and save money on christmas trees. You'd make us jealouse then.

SarahB

Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 869
Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Jun 17, 10 11:51 am Post subject:
Bean!!! Possibly two.... Flippin things. But bean offered some spare plants from next door, swapping for some mint and garlic.

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 10 1:04 pm Post subject:

ziggy searchfield wrote:

also decorate it and save money on christmas trees.

ROFL I like your thinking but I dont think Wifee would be as open minded about as we are

I didnt know they were perenial so would they survive in a cold greenhouse through the winter? seems unlikely but a very interesting idea none the less.

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 10 1:09 pm Post subject:

ziggy searchfield wrote:

we filled a pint mug with blotting paper & put the bean seeds halfway up the mug against the glass so we could see them, then put water in the bottom, only enough soaked up to germinate them, none rotted.

This is also an interesting thought and well worth the effort if not getting anywhere with "normal" sowing practices, I will bare that in mind if this lot of re-sown blighters dont sort there act out!

Vanessa

Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 8324

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 10 7:56 pm Post subject:
Unlikely in an unheated greenhouse, as it won't be frost-proof.

zigs

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 524
Location: Somerset

Posted: Fri Jun 18, 10 8:41 pm Post subject:
Like vanessa said, will only survive in a green house if you put parrafin heater in, better off in pots in the bedroom, tell mrs you got a jungle fetish & you need the right setting for steamy bean romance. she'll understand.

mochasidamo

Joined: 22 Sep 2005
Posts: 615
Location: Montgomery

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 10 10:19 pm Post subject:
I agree, French beans are for indoors. Our classic couple of warm days and a week of chill, damp murk is a disaster for them in the greenhouse, even fleeced.

Woodburner

Joined: 28 Apr 2006
Posts: 2904
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 10 10:21 am Post subject:
My latest batch (fresh bought seed) is doing nothing, so I guess I can't get it dry enough! I'll give them a go on tissue paper, but if that doesn't work, I think I'm going to have to give up. The borlotti that I did manage to germinate and plant out, are very, very battered, and I can't see them doing much, so french beans may be a waste of time even if I do manage to get them to sprout.

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