Topic: Germination of Runner Bean Seeds

[Nobbyman]

Hi all........

just a quickie......

planted my runner bean and french bean 2 weeks ago today - all my french beans have just started coming up or are up but no sign of life of the runner beans. Do runner beans take longer to germinate or is it a dodgy pack of seeds?   ???

Nobbs xx  :-X

[cambourne7]

mine are being a little slow as well its usualy about 2 weeks give it a few more days

[rosebud]

Ours have only today started showing after almost 3wks so do not loose heart. ;D

[Debs]

. . .thank goodness for that!! ;D

Was planning on sowing my runner beans today but thought I might be too late :-\

Debs

[Ragdoll Lady]

I have had problems with runner beans and sweetcorn this year too. I made another sowing yesterday in the hope that they will be ok. My just buy some plants as well and use as a back up. The dwarf runners and the french beans have germinated fine though.

[VegBob]

The one thing that I have had complete success with is runner beans. Here, in Cumbria, the weather has been hot during the day but cold at night. I have covered the seeds with cloches made from plastic bottles with the bottoms cut off and have had 100% germination rates. I wish the same could be said for my herbs! Keep trying and good luck!

[Paulines7]

I have had awful problems getting my beans to germinate this year.  I didn't get any of my Hunters to germinate and I think the problem was that I didn't dry them off properly last year.  I was very disappointed as it was the first year I had grown Hunters and they were by far the best bean I have grown and were very early to mature too.

I had to send away for some more beans and ordered some from DT Brown who had a half price sale.  They didn't have any Hunter beans so I ordered Festival and Patheon climbing French beans.  These are in pots now and are very slowly beginning to show signs of life.  At least they are not rotting away as my Hunters did. 

[Robert_Brenchley]

My Black Magic have been really slow. Last time I checked six were up out of a dozen I planted. That's enough for a wigwam; if any more germinate, they'll be slug insurance more than anything.

[Larkshall]

I soak mine to get them to chit, then they are set to recommended depth. They still take a fair time to come through but at least any that don't chit can be discarded.

[Ben Acre]

Place  Runner beans in water if they germinate then ok but if not you may have poor seed. Be patient though Runners can take a while to come up

[Robert_Brenchley]

I soaked mine overnight, and three came up promptly. Then there was a bit of a gap, and more started straggling through. I had a look tonight, and there's a seventh up. So if they don't come at once, or you seem to have poor germination, give them time. It's definitely worth giving them an overnight soak though.

[powerspade]

I put runner bean seeds into a plastic bag with moist compost. after about a few days the seeds show a root so I know which seed will grow. I pot up the sprouting seeds into rootrainers leave until they are about 8 inches high and then I plant out. I have done this every year for the past 11 years with 100% success. This year I started to sprout my seeds 3 weeks ago, I out them outside last week to harden up  and today I shall be planting out.