[Cazzy]

I put some french beans in last year and nothing happened.  I had a load of seed left this year and thought i'd give another try, only two out of around 13 came through.

I thought maybe it was because the seed was old and bought some new ones, planted up a dozen over a week ago and still nothing showing.

Any advice?

[peterjf]

start them off in a 3 inch pot ,

about 1 inch down in good quality compost,

water them in

place in greenhouse ,

dont over water and dont let them dry out

should start to show from 10-14 days

[Cazzy]

So i'm maybe just jumping the gun, they are in 3inch pots in the greenhouse and its been just over a week so maybe another few days patience required 

Thanks Peterif

[JayG]

When I start to get a bit worried about the non-appearance of seedlings, I usually have a gentle little "probe" through the top of the compost just to see whether the seed has started to sprout or is slightly mouldy, suspicious-looking and therefore possibly dead (quite easy to do with relatively large seeds.)

I would think a week to 10 days is about right in an unheated (?) greenhouse in Glasgow, but I would still be tempted to have a peep! 

[Runwell-Steve]

Try germinating the seeds indoors, in the warm.  As soon as the first ones start to shoot move them to the greenhouse.  Seeds donKt like the cold nights

[Carrotcake]

I also suffered with low germination rate for my french beans when sowing in modules. Last year I had more success by sowing direct (I did put quite a lot of seeds in the drill).

This year I've done the same under a cloche and they're looking good again. The fresh seed has germinated more quickly than the older seed. If you've got an excess and you can, why not do some indoors and try some straight in the ground?

[chris23005]

Oddly enough the one thing I have had success in germinating is French beans! But I just did what other forum members suggested and sowed them in newspaper pots. However when I checked on one which seemingly hadn't germinated I discovered it was growing upside down and although I am told it would have eventually found its way to the top, that process is likely to take a bit longer. Now if you are talking about dill, chives and coriander ............

[gillie]

Don't get them too wet.

Gillie

[stompy]

I always chit my larger seeds first.
Then you know which are good and which are not.
I started doing this a few years ago after a really bad sweetcorn none emergence.
They just went mouldy for some reason, i watered them when sowed and i didn't water again until they started to come through, they being about 3
I now get 99% germination this way as you only plant the seeds that have the begginings of a root 

[Aidy]

It is generally suggested that you don't chit beans. The reason is in trials the beans that were chitted were more likely to suffer from halo blight. Personally I dont have  a problem with germination, as others say, pop them into moist compost and leave somewhere consistantly warm.

[Apostrophes]

I had trouble with French beans too. In the end I placed the pots on a warm, well-lit window sill and covered them with cling film. I also used a spray to keep them moist as I didn't want to get the seeds too wet. They're going well now.

[stompy]

I always chit my beans and always get a good crop, never had a problem.
Just spray with water when dry to get the flowers to set.

[izzy]

they like to be warm and I don't plant them as deep as run of the mill beans

[SUTTY1]

when i've had probs with peas or beans i think it was over watering, just keep them damp and never soggy!

[noshed]

Mine erupt spectacularly in my greenhouse. Careful about planting them out - frost may still be a problem.