planting broad beans

Colrice

hi, I have planted broad beans for a while now but consistently suffer from 'misses'.

Is there a correct position for the seed when planting to achieve a higher success rate, for example vertical, horizontal, flat etc?

Italophile

No, it doesn't matter exactly how you plant them as long as they're a couple of inches deep. Spacing depends on the variety. More important factors are the soil conditions - they will rot in soil that stays overly wet - and the timing of the planting. When have you been planting yours?

Man of Kent

Not sure where you are planting your seed i.e. allotment? but another cause could be mice. They like this sort of large seed. Unless your seeds that have sprouted have turned into vigorous plants already then its not too late to fill the gaps with more seed replacements as they`ll soon catch up.

marshmello

You don't mention whether you sow inside or outside.

I find that starting them off in cells/pots the germination results are higher then station sowing. The reason being, temp, water and heat can be controlled better, especially in cooler climates like the UK - this goes for peas also.

I have, in the past, always had more failures than successes when using the station sowing method...

.....not sure if I've helped much !!! !

Colrice

Thanks to those who have offered advice. I have been planting the seeds directly into the soil in my vegetable plot. I have planted at 2" but could be guilty of watering in which could have caused rotting of the seed. I will plant replacements in pots in my unheated greenhouse.

Green Magpie

I planted my broad beans all directly into their stations. Of 42 seeds, planted in two different batches, 41 have come up, and only 1 has had to be replaced. I didn't pay any attention to which way up they were,although I don't  think ther were as deep as 2 inches. I didn't give them an awful lot of water - maybe yours got too wet?

BensGrandad

How long should they take to germinate and start producing plants from seed

Italophile

Given reasonable conditions - soil temp, etc - they should be up within two weeks. 

BensGrandad

I put some in toilet roll holders, 28 in fact, but only 5 have come through as plants.     I am going on holiday Saturday for a week should I plant some more in the greenhouse or wait until I return and plant them straight into the ground.     I intend putting some runners and french beans in pots to start off while I am away,

Italophile

I'd wait and direct sow, but then I get a tad paranoid about starting seeds and then leaving them for a week if they're to be unattended.

figrat

I sowed about 30 broad beans directly into the ground at the end of February, but did pop a cloche over them. Have had 1 failure. A week later I sowed another 30 in modules. Same packet of seed, 10 failures! The ones directly sown are an inch or so bigger than the module sown ones which are a cold frame. Cloche off the outside ones, recent gales and hail hasn't bothered them.