Broad Beans

[sandersj89]

And I suppose does it really matter???

Jerry

[sandersj89]

[tim]

Surely the 'scar' on such things is always on the 'edge' rather than 'end'??

So always on edge, scar down?? = Tim

[frannie]

i'm with jerry on this one, but then i've only grown them in jam jars in the classroom - they all seem to grow and end up the right way round!

[tim]

Yes - isn't nature wonderful? Puts everything right in the end! = Tim

[sandersj89]

Surely the 'scar' on such things is always on the 'edge' rather than 'end'??

So always on edge, scar down?? = Tim

Hmmmmm, I thnk the scar is on the end. If you think of the bean being a slightly rounded rectangle the scar is on one of the shrot sides of the rectangle. The scar being where the bean was attched to the inside of the pod.

Jerry

[tim]

Jerry - you're so right, of course!! So stick it in endwards!

But am I right in saying that MOST have the scar on the long edge?? = Tim

[Ceri]

If I remember way back to primary school and growing broad beans don't the shoot and the root come out of practically the same bit, and turn themselves to suit?  Saying that, I just shoved them in anyhow last year and they all grew as well as each other.  No idea if its true, Isn't there something about growing large seeds like pumpkins on their sides rather than flat so water slides past them and doesn't waterlog them?

[tim]

Yes, yes - and cucumbers!! But why put things to all that trouble of re-orienting themselves? It all takes time. = Tim

[john_miller]

Most large seeded beans have the scar on what I would call the long edge Tim. Runners come immediately to mind.
If I'm sowing cucurbits in pots I plant them blunt edge down, not on their side, as this is where the root will emerge. Outdoors they are just dropped into a shallow depression and covered. I've never noticed any drop in germination rates with the latter but I trouble with the former as I use very small pots due to the poor root system cucurbits have. I certainly don't have time to sow beans on their edges though and I get great germination. Even this person, who seems to have taken it upon himself to do an experiment, has confounded his own argument with his reference to pot size:-
http://www.kitchengarden.co.uk/forum/archiveview.asp?ID=16247
and also because he misses the point that plants are geotropic, they literally grow that way, no 'twisting' involved.
Surely if it was really important to a bean seed which way up it was it would knock out the supports from Darwin as it would appear they have established a mechanism to limit any competitive advantage they may have?

[tim]

As I've said before, we live &  learn!

I'll stick to scar down in pots, through habit. Never do them outdoors. Too uncertain. = Tim