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Hi, I have some french beans that I am going to plant soon. They seem very hard - would anyone reccomend soaking them prior to planting?

I have soaked old French and Runner beans in the past to check whether they would germinate to see whether it was worth planting them. I seem to remember that it worked OK and got reasonable germination, but I have never done it with new seeds.

I've done it with peas, and now you've reminded me, I'm about to do it with sweet corn.

A bit early for French beans yet Pete?
:-\

I did say soon - my deifintion of soon = next month or so :D They just look really hard though - almost like marble hard!

Personally I don't soak French Beans first, broad beans and peas yes, FBeans and Runners no.... but it shouldn't cause a problem...
:)

okie dokie, will start them soaking now and plant them tommorow - thanks all :)

I find this a bit early for beans; by the time planting out time comes, they've wrapped rthemselves around everything in the mini-greenhouse and get broken while I'm trying to disentangle them. Everything else goes in now, peas and beans next month.

Another genderless person without a location.

Sowing? If in Spain - yes, but otherwise not until mid-late April.

Hard, Pete? As they should be!

Quote from: tim on March 24, 2007, 13:42:37
Another genderless person without a location.

Sowing? If in Spain - yes, but otherwise not until mid-late April.

Hard, Pete? As they should be!

Got out ya bed the wrong side Tim. ::) ;D

Have just received some French bean  and Borlotti seeds today and on the sowing instructions it says to soak for half an hour before sowing.