Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Alan

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

alan.holmes wrote:
I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Alan



Parsnips are a pain. They will only germinate when the soil is warm
enough. I've hoed up my row as the few that rooted are lost amongst
weeds. I'm trying growing them in pots in a cold-frame now. The
germination rate is fast and good, so I'll soon need to plant them out
before the roots hit the bottom of the pots.

Peas should be up in a couple of weeks. Similarly French runner beans.

--
David in Normandy.

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

"David in Normandy" wrote in message
...
alan.holmes wrote:
I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Alan



Parsnips are a pain. They will only germinate when the soil is warm
enough. I've hoed up my row as the few that rooted are lost amongst weeds.
I'm trying growing them in pots in a cold-frame now. The germination rate
is fast and good, so I'll soon need to plant them out before the roots hit
the bottom of the pots.

Peas should be up in a couple of weeks. Similarly French runner beans.

Thanks, that has cheered me up a bit, I'll just have to be a little more
patient!

Alan

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

In article ,
David in Normandy wrote:
alan.holmes wrote:
I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Peas should be up in a couple of weeks. Similarly French runner beans.

Maybe. Or maybe not. French and runner beans (they are different
species) are very prone to rot, and peas can, too. I soak them for
12 hours, wash them in dilute bleach, let them sprout on damp tissue
paper (dampened with the bleach solution), covered by clingfilm, and
only when they have started, plant them out. Even so, I can get as
few as 30% through if the weather is cold and wet :-(

It is also worth starting climbing beans in paper pots (you need only
a few, though that means 50-100 for me), until they are 6-12" high.
You can then control the dampness better, if you keep them under cover.

The same as for pumpkins and squashes, for the same reasons.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

"alan.holmes" wrote in message
...

I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing
ahs appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Alan



The good part of this is that you're not suffering the discouragement
of slugs eating your seedlings or pigeons and mice eating the peas :-)
Hang in there... something will show eventually...

Keep the peas moist by watering every day and if they're not up in 10
days, re-sow. (most likely after that long you'll have most of them
through anyway but I almost always get patchy results along a long
row). You might like to cover them with fleece to discourage the mice
and prevent the pigeons getting them.

Parsnips are a mystery to me. Sometimes they germinate in a week in
April when it is cool, other times they refuse to germinate in any
conditions. I don't like to germinate them under 'ideal' conditions
and transplant them because the roots tend to divide. Always, always
buy new seeds for your parsnips. I've just howed in eight rows planted
mid April that have produced about 4 small plants. I'll start again
after I've got some fresh seed.

Runner beans are the most hideous foodstuff known to man :-) Can't
understand how anyone could eat them! Pray they don't germinate and
sow a nice alternative instead?? More seriously, the advice on soaking
in another reply is good advice. I wouldn't use the bleach, I'd use a
proprietary anti-fungal because of the way that micro-organisms which
live in the roots are set back by bleach but not so badly in other
'brews'. Cheshunt compound would suffice.

Good luck. Don't be put off. Keep trying.

TJ

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

In article ,
Tim Jesson wrote:

Runner beans are the most hideous foodstuff known to man :-) Can't
understand how anyone could eat them! Pray they don't germinate and
sow a nice alternative instead?? ...

Try picking them younger :-) They start off rough and dark green,
and lighten as they get older, and they should be picked BEFORE they
do that. Typically not more than 6" long.

I agree that older runner beans are not worth eating, though they
are good as dried beans.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tim Jesson wrote:

Runner beans are the most hideous foodstuff known to man :-) Can't
understand how anyone could eat them! Pray they don't germinate and
sow a nice alternative instead?? ...

Try picking them younger :-) They start off rough and dark green,
and lighten as they get older, and they should be picked BEFORE they
do that. Typically not more than 6" long.

I agree that older runner beans are not worth eating, though they
are good as dried beans.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

It's no use Nick! This inbuilt prejudice took years to develop! I
often have the tender ones in a salad but not if I prepare it myself!

As far as I'm concerned the only good seed is still in a packet.

I'll have to have another go sometime. Maybe I'll leave a single 4ft
row space for next year :-)

TJ

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

"Tim Jesson" wrote
after Nick wrote in reply to Tm Jesson

Runner beans are the most hideous foodstuff known to man :-) Can't
understand how anyone could eat them! Pray they don't germinate and
sow a nice alternative instead?? ...

Try picking them younger :-) They start off rough and dark green,
and lighten as they get older, and they should be picked BEFORE they
do that. Typically not more than 6" long.

I agree that older runner beans are not worth eating, though they
are good as dried beans.


It's no use Nick! This inbuilt prejudice took years to develop! I often
have the tender ones in a salad but not if I prepare it myself!

As far as I'm concerned the only good seed is still in a packet.

I'll have to have another go sometime. Maybe I'll leave a single 4ft row
space for next year :-)

Perhaps you used the wrong variety originally?
We rather like "White Lady" as it is always tender.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

In message , alan.holmes
writes

I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Alan

Did you remember to remove them from the packet? ;-)

My broad beans are about 18" tall and the sugar snap peas are 5 or 6"
and learning to climb the net.

The weather isn't helping much in Manchester though.
--
Gordon H
Remove "invalid" to reply

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

"Gordon H" wrote in message
...
In message , alan.holmes
writes

I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Alan

Did you remember to remove them from the packet? ;-)

My broad beans are about 18" tall and the sugar snap peas are 5 or 6" and
learning to climb the net.

The weather isn't helping much in Manchester though.

My runner beans are above waist height. Broad beans vary from a few inches
to a couple of feet, & the dwarf beans coming along nicely too. My summer
squashes are screaming to be planted out - already courgettes developing as
the plants are still in pots indoors..

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...s002170509.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...i001120509.jpg

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

On May 17, 11:55*am, "alan.holmes"
wrote:
I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Have you tried talking to them? Recommended by royalty!

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

"moghouse" wrote in message
...
On May 17, 11:55 am, "alan.holmes"
wrote:
I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Have you tried talking to them? Recommended by royalty!

I knew I was doing something wrong, but I doubt that I would have right
accent!(:-(

You have to be 'posh' don't you?

Alan

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

In message , alan.holmes
writes

"moghouse" wrote in message
...
On May 17, 11:55 am, "alan.holmes"
wrote:
I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Have you tried talking to them? Recommended by royalty!

I knew I was doing something wrong, but I doubt that I would have right
accent!(:-(

You have to be 'posh' don't you?

Alan


I talk to my fig tree and I'm not posh, Alan.
--
June Hughes

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

alan.holmes wrote:
"moghouse" wrote in message
...
On May 17, 11:55 am, "alan.holmes"
wrote:
I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Have you tried talking to them? Recommended by royalty!

I knew I was doing something wrong, but I doubt that I would have right
accent!(:-(

You have to be 'posh' don't you?

Alan



OK yah, one says grow if one wouldn't mind. :-)

--
David in Normandy.

Why are seeds so reluctant to grow?
 

--
..
"David in Normandy" wrote in message
...
alan.holmes wrote:
"moghouse" wrote in message
...
On May 17, 11:55 am, "alan.holmes"
wrote:
I've planted peas, parsnips and climbing french beans but nothing ahs
appeared, why is that?

I'm getting concerned that nothing I plant will grow!(:-(

Have you tried talking to them? Recommended by royalty!

I knew I was doing something wrong, but I doubt that I would have right
accent!(:-(

You have to be 'posh' don't you?

Alan



OK yah, one says grow if one wouldn't mind. :-)

--
David in Normandy.

Don't you have 'please' and 'thank you' in your vocab?

Not many people do these days :-((

Kindest possible regards

Mike
Educated in manners amongst other things.
Private education takes some beating.