From: bae@gpu.utcc.utoronto.ca (Beverly Erlebacher)
Subject: Re: Pole Beans
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 18:39:14 GMT

rpierce@chem.ucsd.edu (Roxanne Rohmann) writes:
> I have tried three different times already this summer to grow
> "Kentucky Blue" pole beans.  Each time I've tried about 15 seeds.
> Out of all of them, I've had three sprout.  I've tried soaking them
> for an hour, two hours, and four hours.  I've drowned them (tried to
> keep the seeds moist), left them unwatered, put them in full sun,
> put them in peat pots, put them directly in the garden, and have
> reached a fairly high level of frustration.
> I live in San Diego, somewhat near the coast (cool damp nights and
> early mornings, sunny and 78-82 degrees during the day).  Can anyone
> tell me what I'm doing wrong, or what I need to try?

You may have a bad lot of seeds.  This happens.

If you have heavy soil, the plants may not be able to push through it,
especially if there is a surface crust.  Bean sprouts are very
brittle, and if the cotyledons break off when the plant is trying to
emerge, it won't amount to much.

Beans are pretty nourishing and like warmth, so tend to rot before
they can sprout in cold soil, but it sounds like your soil should be
warm enough.  Also, slugs, wireworms and other varmints like beans.

Have you tried digging up the failures?  Did the seeds start to sprout
and then rot, or did they not germinate at all?

Btw, I've always had bad results from soaking beans before planting.
It often causes the skin to tear or the cotyledons to crack.  Recently
I found out that this phenomenon has a name: imbibitional shock.  It
seems to be ok to presprout them in damp paper towels, but not to
actually immerse them in water.  Peas, on the other hand, do very well
when soaked.

Beverly Erlebacher
Toronto, Ontario Canada