I let the last of my bush green beans go to seed. I have now collected them and removed the seeds from the pods. Some are hard and completely dried out, others are still "damp" feeling and are a little bigger. How long until I can plant some of the seeds to see approximately what the germination level will be for the whole group of seeds?

The green beans were planted adjacent to the trellises for my pole beans. Is there any chance that there was cross-pollination and my bush beans will now start to send out shoots like pole beans do??

wrote:

I let the last of my bush green beans go to seed. I have now collected
them and removed the seeds from the pods. Some are hard and completely
dried out, others are still "damp" feeling and are a little bigger. How
long until I can plant some of the seeds to see approximately what the
germination level will be for the whole group of seeds?

let them all dry to regular size, but if you are
wondering what the germination rate will be it is
best to test it closer to when you will be planting
them and not before storing them. keep them cool
and dry.

beans will sprout easily once gotten wet, i've
had them growing right out of the pods after several
days of rains. same with peas...


The green beans were planted adjacent to the trellises for my pole
beans. Is there any chance that there was cross-pollination and my bush
beans will now start to send out shoots like pole beans do??

if you have bumblebees active and the different
varieties of beans were blooming around the same time
then there is some chance, but it may be slight. you
may not notice any differences for a few years.

also, there is a chance of bush beans reverting to
climbing beans if the cultivar is fairly recently
developed and the line hasn't settled in. and of
course, mutations do happen...


songbird

Keep them cool and dry?? Cool as in refrigerator, or just not near a radiator?

wrote:
Keep them cool and dry?? Cool as in refrigerator, or
just not near a radiator?

how long you planning on keeping them? if only a
year or two should be fine about anyplace out of the
direct sun and like you say, not near a radiator.

if you want to keep them longer, make sure they are
well dried, put them in an airtight container and
store them in a freezer. for best results not near
the edges (that may have defrosting heat cycling).


songbird

I just want to keep them to plant next Spring, May or June at the latest.