Kitchen Garden Forum

I’m so frustrated with myself. I,ve just had to resow my first batch of climbing beans because they rotted despite the mininimum amount of water I thought I’d used on the compost.
This seems to happen to me most years. Does anybody have a magic method please ?
I sow them in compost filled loo rolls.

Dear Primrose,
This is the way I do my beans.
I have some plastic cell trays and I sow 2 runner or 4 French beans per cell,(the cells are about 2 inches square and 24 would go into a standard seed tray). I do not use loo rolls as I find they are full of various moulds and these seem to aid the rotting process. Having the extra depth that loo rolls provide does not seem to make a great deal of difference either. When I plant them out I put them in to the depth of the first seed leaves anyway.

If I were to use standard garden centre composts I would add about 1/4 by volume of sand to the mixture. Beans need a lot of drainage and air in the compost in their early stages.

When I have newly opened foil packets (as opposed to some of the paper ones) I will sow the seeds and then leave them overnight before I start to water them. I have found over the years that if I don't do this then the number of beans rotting off is increased; it helps on most large seeds to allow them this chance to plump up without too much moisture. Squash/marrow/cucumber seeds appreciate this method especially. Do not plant the beans too deep, just below the surface of the compost is fine. I find that about three weeks before planting out is the ideal time to sow my beans so at the moment they are still in their packets.

Regards Sally Wright.

Primrose is it compost you made yourself or bagged stuff you bought , if it's made your self it might be to strong

Thanks Sally. Yiu May be right about the loo rolls contributing to the rotting process. i will resow again in cellular trays.
Robo, I,m using commercial multi purpose compost. My home grown compost is usually too rough for seed sowing.

Primrose I just wondered as I made the mistake last year

If you are talking about something like Cobra. This year I have sown them in tall pots with three layers of compost; some of my own mix at the bottom, then some Erin multipurpose and a top layer of Clover Professional seed compost. I soak the pots then leave them for a day where I am going to germinate them then push the beans into the top layer and top up with a bit more seed compost. I don't water again apart from misting the surface until they have germinated.

Gosh Geoff, your seeds are really cosseted! Yes, I am growing Cobra. I suspect your compost soaking and then letting it drain and just misting the surface ftwrwqrda may be a good way of avoiding the rotting. It seems they don’t need much moisture to start going mushy. Do you get good germination rates using this method?? I think part of my problem with beans is that I’m too impatient and having to phase my sowing process over two days would feel frustrating as I like to get jobs ticked off! However if it,s a secret to success, I’ll obviously have to curb my impatience. After all, one day isn,t going to make any difference in the overall scheme of things is it?

Last year, Sally Wright posted a long answer under "Getting good bean germination" and I printed it off to keep in my "allotment" file - very good advice there, thank you, Sally! Primrose, you can easily find it in the archive.

I can't remember exactly how good. I sowed 10 pots of 3 beans then potted on 16 and threw some away as I only grow 12 in the polytunnel. I am working my way through a big packet labelled 2013 so doing OK.

PS : should have said I only put my mix in the bottom to save bought compost and I germinate them quickly in the propagator.