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I'm getting really P***ed off now.

I have repeatedly tried to grow French Climbing Bean Cobra for the last 2yrs but have not managed to get any to germinate

I sow them into pots of compost water once and wait and wait and wait and NOTHING has ever happened They seem to dissapear or rot off.

Can someone please give me a step by step idiots guide on how to get them to grow

Thanks in advance

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

I'm having the same trouble with all my beans this year, am growing 4 different types and none of them seem to want to germinate. They've been in their modules 2 weeks now & no sign of any of them. They were no trouble last year, this year two of the varieties are new seeds. I await responses too!

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Newbie,
keen but clueless

Have you tried germinating them on damp kitchen towel? Perhaps you have a duff batch of Cobra? Can you get other Frenchies to germinate?

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

I've had 100% germination this year. I do what I usually do, one per pot/root trainer, keep watered (they do dry out quickly in the sun in a cold greenhouse) and stand back. Bob's yer uncle, Flummy's yer aunt! I haven't soaked any this year - usually do - and I haven't given them any fussy treatment. I gave a little thought (only ever got a little to spare these days!) to moon planting but I couldn't see how you could improve on 100%. As to whether they'll be pecked/slugged to b***ery when I plant them out - that remains to be seen. It's always a challenge, this gardening lark eh?

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Some days you're the statue, some days you're the pigeon!

vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated July 16th 2008

I've sown some purple climbing beans too, waiting for them to appear, been about a week. I'll try the kitchen towel thing, do you literally just sit the beans on damp kitchen paper or soak them first?

__________________
Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

Do you keep the Beans waterered Flummery before they germinate?

__________________
Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

Yes, I water them when I water my toms which are also in the greenhouse. You don't want them soggy, but when the compost dries out I re-wet it.

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Some days you're the statue, some days you're the pigeon!

vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated July 16th 2008

Maybe that's where I'm going wrong.....I'll get sowing again, thanks Flummery

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

Just sit them on damp kitchen towel, keep it damp (cover with cling film) but don't have them swimming. They should germinate fairly quickly, then just pop them into compost and grow them. If you've been trying to grow the same 'batch' of Cobra and don't check them you could still be trying to grow something that for some reason won't grow!

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

I put some french climbing beans a week ago and they are all starting to show up ! I 've been watering everyday though, it seems that the water get sucked up very quickly...maybe that's the trick???

I soak my beans over night before setting. Works a treat.

I sowed cobra beans on 25th April (moon gardening fruit day). They are only just coming through so I don't know yet what germination rate I'll get. Like others I've sowed one bean per cell and tried to keep the compost moist although it has got dry a couple of times. They are kept outside in unheated greenhouse and the seeds were new this year.

Keep your patience and allow at least two weeks.

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http://plot62.blogspot.com/

Right! I'm going to try every suggestion.........if that doesn't get me Cobra Beans I'm really going to stamp my feet

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

Actually - a tantrum a day DOES help!

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Some days you're the statue, some days you're the pigeon!

vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated July 16th 2008

My french beans are in the ground now and have 6 leaves. They are gold neckar variety and all germinated.

You can soak large seeds like peas and beans overnight in lukewarm water to help them swell before sowing them into damp compost. If they're very dry when sown they can absorb all the water from the compost without absorbing enough to enable them to germinate and if you don't keep the compost moist (NOT WET) you'll get no beans (hope this makes sense - I know what I mean)

Thanks all..........I shall keep you posted!

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

My cobra and dwarf beans have been slow to germinate I thought it was me just being impatient but they do seem to take a long time

I have trouble with Blue Lake, but today I planted out my first plants (8 inches high and going for it).
Soak bean overnight in cold water; drain off in morning and leave on damp kitchen towel. Pot on the ones that sprout (some won't - compost them)

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

I planted some Cobra for the first time this year. Put them into a tray on a heated seed tray and within a week they had germinated, they were then moved to a windowsill and are now 6 inches tall. I planted them on the 24 April.

We have had 100% germination wth the same variety of french bean.
We sowed ours in 3" pots of normal compost then put them in our unheated greenhouse (although a few days before that they were in a small heated room indoors because we hadn't got the greenhouse then).

The main problem is that some seeds can go mouldy then they die.

What we do (with broad and runner beans too) is to cut a very small notch into the outer tough seed casing, one just below where the root comes out and one somewhere on the other side of the bean.
You have to make sure you don't cut too deep. Just deep enough to see the whitish/yellow colour of the seed itself.

The reason we do this is to allow water to get to the seed directly. Water soaks into the seed quicker without having to wait for the outer tough casing to soften up first.
We have found that this aids and quickens germination.

Just checked our site: we sowed the seeds on April 15 and they formed roots by April 18. They started to germinate by April 24 (9 days from sowing to germination).

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Thanks for that Mike and Louise!!!

I'm now having a major hissy fit, stamping my feet and jumping up and down screaming I hate BL****Y BEANS!!!!!!

I am going to follow your every word, if I don't get Beans there'll be trouble!

__________________
Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna