Rotting borlotti

[robsa]

I sowed some borlotti in root trainers about 8 days ago. Nothing was showing yet this morning so I dug a couple up. They were rotten and smelling pretty disgusting.

I'm guessing that it's my own fault - I ran out of my usual seed compost and used some horrible stuff from B&Q that looks and smells just like the low grade municipal compost we get delivered at the allotment. I've got some more seeds to sow so I think I'll get some fresh seed compost, wash the trainers in hot soapy water and try again.

Any other suggestions on how to avoid the rot? I soaked the beans overnight before sowing - is this necessary? They were left at about 18degC in the dark to germinate.

Cheers,
Robsa

[robsa]

[Motherwoman]

I never soak my bean seeds even though it sems to be reccomended by lots of books,my borlotti have come up fine without it. Seeds are quite costly so always use a reasonable quality  seed compost for sowing,larger plants can take a cheaper make when it comes to potting up.Bear in mind that cheap composts are made down to a price,often with a cheap nitrogen fertilizer added which gives an impressive spurt of growth to plants but is not good news for seeds.

[carloso]

out of a bag full i have managed about 10 plants !!

i bought them from suttons i think off the top of my head and have not been the best this time out of a bag full i have about 10 plants !!! as you mine went rottern to but i didnt soak them either

never mind next yr

ps my other look to be doing very well

carl

[Curryandchips]

Not sowed my borlotti seeds, or other haricot type beans yet, but I will take your comments on board, thank you.

[Zoglet]

I'v also lost all of my Borlotti beans.  However, I am using a decent compost.

The first batch I did'nt soak in advance, left them on the window ledge and nothing happened. The second batch have not yet shown up (2 weeks on Sunday) and are missing presumed dead. What do you think I am doing wrong? I am new to all this gardening malarkey and would appreciate advice.

Thanks in advance.

Zoglet.

[Svea]

too much water?

i dont know. last year i had much trouble with my cucumber etc seeds as at the point of planting those, i had to switch to a different compost. and would you know it - that compost behaved very differently to the one i was used to - it looked bone dry at the top so i kept watering it - only for it to be waterlogged one inch down :rolleyes:
the other compost never did that. so i had to try again.

havent done my beans yet this year - i think they will go straight out in the allotment - but i do put something like this down to compost, and moisture content thereof.

when i sow seeds, i put soil into vessel, soak from below until surface is moist, then drain for 10 minutes, then place seeds and cover with just bag-moist compost - i.e. no more water from the top.

put a lid on/put into bag to minimise evaporation from the top and put in a warm place. usually, that's how most seeds seem to like it becasue they are all up prettyspeedily.
remove lid and move to a cooler position.

i usually dont have to water until about 2 weeks after the sowing date!!

[Motherwoman]

Like Svea I don't water again until after they have germinated but I cover with fleece not plastic because I like to keep the air moving.Sometimes when they are covered with plastic they can cook on a sunny day.
For the past 3 years I have saved my own seed and the plants seem to be getting stronger as I try to select the best and I've had no 'un-true' to type ones.

[Merry Tiller]

Rotting seeds usually means they are too wet and cold

[jennym]

MT is right, for germination to occur, the seed requires sufficient water, oxygen, and warmth, and some seeds (not bean) require light. Seeds are alive too. They can die and then rot.
So, if they are sitting in very wet conditions they are starved of oxygen, and will die, and if not warm enough for their particular requirements, won't even start into growth.
I use Rootrainers with cheap compost mixed with a bit of grit or perlite if I have any, but water well before putting seeds in and allow to drain for a couple of hours. The other thing to bear in mind is the method of watering - I always use a can with a rose on the end to form fine droplets of water - if you pour it onto pots just using the spout with no rose, the weight of the water compacts the compost and any aeration within it is lost.

[Zoglet]

I will try agian and this time soak in advance, water when first sewn, allow to drain well, keep warm but not too hot, cover with plastic but not bake and hopefully I will get a result!

Cheers

:)

[chrispea27]

keep going Zoglet-its always hit and miss !

[luath]

My Borlotti have rotted too, but that was from overwatering - all other beans fine though.  I always use the same compost - Fertile Fibre.  I fill pot with compost, water well, sow beans, cover over, and don't water again until they show through.  Not sure what went wrong with these, but I've plenty of other beans to keep me going, or I could try again.  EVen after 20 odd years it happens ;)

[luath]

Forgot to say I never soak any beans first.

[Stork]

I sowed 24 in a large seed tray. I put them into John Innes No 1 ( I had run out of seed compost) and put them in a heated propagator.

Every one has shot up. One week on each plant is about 3 inches high and looking like bursting out of the tray.

Stork