2019 Little Easy Bean Network - Come And Reawaken The Thrill Of Discovery

[Lady0bug]

If I have a handful of seeds, I presoak them then I put in moist paper towels and loosely in plastic wrap (if I remember I'll add a heat mat too). Then I check them daily and rinse and air out as needed. I think it helps with old seed and you can monitor and adjust treatment. I did start a couple seeds in pots without presoaking and they rotted where the same seed in a paper towel started to show signs of mold and I rinsed with mild bleach solution and they finally sprouted after that. For large amounts of seed, I just sow directly and reseed if needed. I do think presoaking gives them a heads start before the critters find them but you do have to watch for mold.

 

[Lady0bug]

@Bluejay77, I am curious, how did the 2018 bean returns go? Did you get most back or what percentage did you get? Hoping that the network is doing well with returns and anything outstanding comes in.

 

[Blue-Jay]

@Bluejay77, I am curious, how did the 2018 bean returns go? Did you get most back or what percentage did you get? Hoping that the network is doing well with returns and anything outstanding comes in.

Last year we had 27 growers. Out of that group 6 growers did not return any seed. That was I believe because of weather. I think most of them have written to me and they are going to take the best seed they harvested last year and do a regrow of their varieties again this year.

I think the network is going well. I have a lot of the varieties seeds in the freezer. That will keep a high germination of the seed secured for many years probably at least 25 years. I will have to go through the spread sheet and make sure it's updated and record all the varieties that have seed stocks in the freezer. It could be telling as to which varieties are also in need of a grow out. Those varieties that don't have seed stored in the freezer. I'll try to get that done tomorrow and post the names of those varieties.

So far this year there are 22 growers that have chosen and received seed to grow out this year.

 

[saritabee]

I wonder if some of our last years growers are coming back in 2019. I haven't heard from

Journey11
Raiquee
Eleanor
Honeycomb
Benji K.

I was thinking about aftermidnight the other day, too; hopefully she is doing all right.

 

[saritabee]

Does anyone presprout their beans before planting? If you do, how does that work out for you? Do you feel it shortens the time for the seedlings to emerge from the soil?

I presprouted all my bean seeds last year, and I'm planning to do it again this year. It was kind of an experiment, but I feel like the pros outweighed the cons by the end of the season.

I used those 2-lb salad mix tubs, with 2 wet dishtowels (one below the beans and one above), and kept the tub under a grow light for warmth. Most beans germinated in about 3 days (which, as other people were saying, can lead to loss of the seeds if you're not planning ahead for exactly the right amount of time). Some smaller, harder beans (like greasy-type beans) seemed to take about a week.

For beans I had a lot of, I presprouted just until the root appeared (in theory, as long as the timing worked out), then planted them out. The main benefit of this seemed to be that *sprouted* beans can withstand colder soil. In soil cold enough that an unsprouted seed would just rot, the presprouted seed did okay; so that gave a head-start to the season. And the seedlings do emerge from the soil faster, since they're already got a head-start.

For beans I only had a few of, I presprouted the seeds then planted them into 4" pots until they looked hearty enough to transplant. Once transplanted they did kinda just sit there for a couple weeks doing nothing while their roots took hold in their new home. So I don't know if transplanting bean starts actually results in a quicker grow time, but it did help weed out dead seed, and it got the plants to the point that they could resist pests (general nibbling, digging animals, etc.) better. (...Except for when my cat nibbled the tops off two of the four of my Harriet's Black Hook while they were still under the grow light. Grr...) And then once the roots took hold, they took off and grew like normal.

 

[baymule]

I have never pre-sprouted beans, reading this with interest.

I got my beans today! Thanks! The labels for shipping back seed is very much appreciated.

 

[flowerbug]

I have never pre-sprouted beans, reading this with interest.

I got my beans today! Thanks! The labels for shipping back seed is very much appreciated.

@Bluejay77 has it down very well!

p.s welcome to the network Bay!

 

[baymule]

@Bluejay77 has it down very well!

p.s welcome to the network Bay!

Oh, I have done this since Russ started it. I had to drop out a couple of seasons after we moved. The soil was so bad, even beans didn't want to grow in it. LOL I battled rabbits, happily a family of hawks built a nest on our fence line and they have done a lot to control the rabbit explosion.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Thanks @saritabee for your answer. I was wondering about emergence from the soil faster. On the north side of my town where I live all the soil around here even the farm soil seems to be better drained. I usually direct seed here. About ll miles south I have 2,000 square feet of off site ground. The soil there if it gets a torrential downpour will stay extremely wet for two weeks or more. I direct seeded that about 3 years ago and about 9/10 of what I planted rotted. What I found out about that soil was all the Trout patterned beans turned out in this soil looking just gorgeous. More white with finner spotting. I just loved those seeds. The soil seems to have a higher sand content but the subsoil clay seems almost white in color. Doesn't seem to want to drain very well. The sub soil seems almost smooth like modelling clay. Doesn't crumble more like the sub soil around the north side of town. I thought I would presprout everything I want to plant there and get it up and emerged before we get much of any rain. That might be my key to success in that area. I also covered it with a tarp in July last year. So I bet all that ground has been well solorized. Should be practically no weeds in it this year. I wouldn't mind seeing our season more on the dry side so I might even have to water a little.

 

[Blue-Jay]

I hope @aftermidnight is well and not suffering from any physical problems.