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Climbing french beans

Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
in Fruit & veg
Anyone else had germination problem this year? The only difference this year,is hubby sowed them. Usual pest free MPC, we don't buy very cheap stuff. New seeds Mr Fothergill Cobra,and Wilko Blue Lake. Sowed 30 of each,got 4 Cobra,2 Blue Lake. Both packets say Germinating guaranteed or money back, but that's not the point,it doesn't allow for the price of the compost or time and effort put in. Have been growing Cobra for years, never had a problem. Have re-sown,so far zero germinating. I have some seeds from last year and saved seeds,am going to try them

Posts

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    PEAT free not pest free!!!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Think pest free would be good @Nanny Beach … if it could be guaranteed to remain so 😉 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Interesting,  my French beans germinated well but , white flowered runner beans and edamame beans,  nearly all rotted off. All sowed in the same compost in root trainers. I too have resown and am waiting to see if any more come up.
    AB Still learning

  • ShepsSheps Posts: 2,236
    edited May 2023
    First time sowing for me and all went to plan apart from one, just waiting for the slugs to demolish them once planted out.

    Cobra and Blue Lake...


  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    @Nanny Beach  I did 6 Cobra this year - 4 are up and running but the Purple podded ones have been a bit of a disaster.  I don't remember any problems with Cobra last year.
    Even the various dwarf French have been pretty hit and miss re germination this year.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I used some new MPC this year for some seeds and it was dire @Nanny Beach, and it was the same one I had tried last year which was highly successful. 
    I've given up with it. My home made stuff isn't so suitable as it's difficult to get it dry enough in spring for sieving, so I've used old compost from last year's annual pots, which has been far better for everything I've re sown. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    We  must be lucky here,  most seeds I’ve sown are up and potted on,  strangely white agastache  didn’t germinate but the blue ones did,  I’ve sown some more white ones.

    Only just sown French beans Cobra,  26 out of 30 are up already. 
    Runners not sown yet,  they like lots of warmth will do those next week. 
    Make sure you sow them on their sides not flat,  same goes for courgettes, marrows and cucumbers. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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