Quick advice needed please- Dwarrrrrf Beans

**chris** · 19-05-2011, 01:20 PM

I'm growing a few dwarfs, purple and yellow podded ones.. So far the yellow ones have had 100% germination (golden tepee). Aint had any to harvest yet though

**Two_Sheds** · 19-05-2011, 02:05 PM

I usually get 80-90% germination from my own saved seed. They must have ripened properly, but you would notice by now if they hadn't: they would've gone rotten or shrivelled

Try chitting them. There's another thread about that, you might be able to find it if you have a few days

**dave_norm_smith** · 19-05-2011, 02:14 PM

Hi Two Sheds

It was a bought packet for last year. I split it in two and grew (or tried) the second half this year. However they did a bit shrivelled now that you mention it.

Another reason so save some seed I guess instead of scoffing the lot!

Dave

**rustylady** · 19-05-2011, 03:04 PM

Originally posted by dave_norm_smith View Post

Hi Two Sheds

It was a bought packet for last year. I split it in two and grew (or tried) the second half this year. However they did a bit shrivelled now that you mention it

Dave

Where do you keep your seeds Dave?

**dave_norm_smith** · 19-05-2011, 03:23 PM

In a large tin, in a cupboard, in the utility. The french climbers I saved last year are well away, maybe 90% germination but I struggled with the dwarfs last year as well. However I never threw them or wrote a note about them to myself. Must write a note to myself to write more notes!

**Hillwalker** · 19-05-2011, 04:39 PM

Originally posted by two_sheds View Post

...there's another thread about that, you might be able to find it if you have a few days

I'm sure the powers.... are working on it.

I'm growing them for the first time this year. Two yellow varieties: 'Brittle Wax', 'Kinghorn Wax' and one purple variety - 'Purple Queen.'

I chitted mine in a rectangular black ice cream tub, laid out in rows on some diluted hydrogen peroxide dampened kitchen roll, lid on and placed in a warm place. I used the same technique for my runner beans - works a treat!

**Ant** · 19-05-2011, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by dave_norm_smith View Post

Hi

Well out of the 20 I sowed I have had 5 germinate! Pah (Do they not save well, should I have fresh every year like parnips?)

Anyhew, I need a quick replacement as I adore them! (served on fish with a spicy tomato sauce! Yum)

What variety would you recommend?

Dave

I've had the same trouble with seeds I used from last season,maybe fresh is best,I've only got 4 from 16. I use 'Tendercrop' its a great variety,but next season I will use fresh seed

**Florence Fennel** · 19-05-2011, 06:21 PM

I've had my packets of dwarf peas for three years I think, a purple, a green and a yellow. Of the ones that I've sown this year - they've all come up! Sorry to hear you've had trouble, maybe because they were a bit shrivelled? Either that, or I'm just lucky I guess.

**endymion** · 19-05-2011, 07:11 PM

I can't recommend any particular beans, but we're growing Purple Queen (purple pods, white beans), Brittle Wax (yellow pods, white beans) and Nautica (green pods, dark beans).

First sowing of 20 of each variety. 19 Nautica, 20 Purple Queen and 19 Brittle wax have germinated. They all took about 7 days to show above ground.

The shoots of half the Brittle Wax were eaten (seed leaves ignored), and one of the seeds was dug out of the tube. All the others seedlings were left alone. They were all on a shelf in the shed, so we think it was mice. Very choosy mice too, or maybe it was just that those beans were at the end of the shelf and the lid was a bit loose.

Our second sowing will also be indoors, with better protection.

**Two_Sheds** · 19-05-2011, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by Ant View Post

I've had the same trouble with seeds I used from last season,maybe fresh is best

I germinate seeds from 3, 4, 5 years ago ... and probably even older than that from supermarket packs. It's probably more likely (non-germination) due to conditions: too wet, too cold, etc

**pipscariad** · 19-05-2011, 09:57 PM

Get chitting quick! Oo-er, that sounds a bit like an insult (or something very rude...). You've still got time to have your beans and eat them, they'll go like a bomb once you get them out.

I've not looked back since I started chitting my bean seed - I put them in an old ice cream tub, rinse them and cover them with damp kitchen roll, then rinse and drain once a day, they soon start to shoot, then it's into pots for the viable ones.

I've grown Delinel for the past couple of years, which were lovely, but the slugs treated them as a take away as they grew so close to theg round so I grow climbing frenchies now, with great success. I have some Delinel left (seeds looks good to me, still shiny etc), if you'd like them then PM me.

Good luck!

**dave_norm_smith** · 20-05-2011, 08:28 AM

Thanks for all the advice guys and recommends. Pipscariad- thank you for your very kind offer but I should have some Annabel in the morning so that I can get them in over the weekend.

Cheers everybody!

**Flummery** · 20-05-2011, 10:51 AM

It's really not too late to get a crop from a new sowing. They may have been too cold or wet. Mine are still coming inside at night (with help from me, of course!)

**King Carrot** · 20-05-2011, 02:00 PM

I'd say you'd still get a good crop from climbers outside, even if they were chitted the first week or so of June. I'm going to start off some Cobra for inside the tunnel next week - should get a late summer/autumn harvest from them.

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Quick advice needed please- Dwarrrrrf Beans

Quick advice needed please- Dwarrrrrf Beans

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