2016 Little Easy Bean Network - Gardeners Keeping Heirloom Beans From Extinction

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks, Annette. Rinsing the seed and paper towel in clean water after three days. I'll have to think about the logistics of that, it probably means setting up near a spigot so I get steady clean water. I think cross-contamination has been a big part of my problem so I want to keep my hands and the rinse water clean. The best I can tell the mold is coming from inside a very few beans and contaminating the rest. I hope keeping each individual bean in its individual bag and paper towel will solve that part as long as I keep my hands clean.

Some of the ones I got from Russ sprouted in three days, and I got 100% from them. Some of the others took as long as seven days. But these, my problem child, take about ten to twelve days. Russ only had a 1 in 5 germination, I don't know how long he ran the test, but I got 10 out of 16 after 10 to 12 days. That's not bad. If I can just keep that mold at bay I think I'll do OK, even with these. Some of those I got from the problem child looked mold-free when I planted them. Luckily I had several of each segregation so I have plenty to try again using stricter sanitation measures.

It is a challenge but it's keeping me focused. I'm not complaining, just looking for suggestions and support. They are good looking beans, I want to save them if I can. I really do appreciate everyone's comments. They help.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Hi @Ridgerunner,

I ran the test about a week. I had many germinating to some extent in about 4 days. I didn't do anything special for them. I had some seeds that looked like they were spoiling in the same bag next to seeds that were germinating. The germinating ones looked heatlhy, and the spoiling ones were the seeds that never came alive.

The germination process is controled by an amino acid process. Just like the seed coats darkening with age from oxidization. The amino acids also slowly oxidize until the amino acids are too few to make the embryo plant in the seed grow. It always seems like any tissue in anything that isn't living is in a process of breaking down by bacteria.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Speaking of malformations I was wondering if someone could give their opinion on this

Specifically, I'm worried about the sprout in the upper left. As far as I can see, the thing has NO first leaf set, the petioles end in nubs. Nomally I'd just say wait for later leaves to come out, but this seedling has been like this for a good three or four weeks and I have yet to see any further growth from the meristem. (in fact I'm not 100% sure it HAS a meristem, I can see another nub at the tip but whether it is later leaves I have no clue) If I had a lot of these beans I'd pull a plant like this but with only 3, I'm loath to kill 1/3 of my crop unnecessarily. On the other hand I also don't want a doomed plant there bringing a risk of rotting and infecting the others. Advice?

 

[ninnymary]

Can you transplant it to another pot?

Mary

 

[Tricia77]

Are most of you growing your seeds in pots or in the ground?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I grow all mine in the ground. I don't trust myself to keep them watered without overwatering in a pot.

 

[aftermidnight]

Germinated in damp paper towel, planted in pots and moved into the garden when they have their first set of leaves.

Annette

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Pots; putting them in the ground carries too much risk around here of them all being devoured by the squirrels and chipmunks (if not as seed or seedlings, then when they start making pods)

 

[VA_LongBean]

It's been about a week and I'm waiting on signs of germination. Seeds that overwintered in my garden (tomatoes, beans and longbeans) are coming up, so hopefully my charges will appear soon.

 

[VA_LongBean]

One or two may have been dug up by squirrles, two snapped in today's rain. The rest are coming up or up. I'll have to fill in a couple of the teparies and possibly bomba with new seeds.

Just have to sit back and wait for beans.