French climbing bean failure

Evening all 10 days ago a sowed 48 French beans in seed compost under my grow light at 25c and as of 10mins ago only 13 have germinated and are growing strong I had a poke round in one of the blanks and all I found was white mush what did I do wrong ?
Thanks for looking all

 

When I’ve grown French beans, I’ve had this problem too. I think the secret is not to overwater and to have free draining compost. I’d also suggest that it’s still a bit early to be sowing these. If I recall correctly, I sowed mine in the greenhouse, around the start of May (no heat added).

 

Agree with Freddy, good drainage and don't over water. I sowed mine yesterday in Root Trainers and they are in a cold greenhouse and take about about 10 days to show. I always sow a few extra just in case.

 

Different perhaps, but I alway soaked runner beans over night.
Them "sowed"on the surface of a seed tray with a couple of inches of peat in it, then covered with a piece of glass.
I then potted them up when they showed a sign of a root emerging.

 

Root trainers are good

 

Nice one Pete I seem to recall my Dad did something like that, thanks for the reminder.

 

Just saves potting up duds, I've always found, with beans, you get a certain percentage of dud ones.
Should add the tray needs to be kept out of direct sunlight otherwise you get cooked beans

A sheet of newspaper on top of the glass is not a bad idea.

 

I wrap the beans in damp kitchen paper, when they shoot I plant them in used/clean takeaway coffee cups.

 

Brilliant thanks for all the replies

 

I do my beans the same way as I do sweet peas.

3/4 fill root trainer with compost, soak well then top off with dry compost, plant seed into dry compost then do not water until you have germination. Capillary action draws water into the dry compost to soak gently then germinate the seed. Cover with newspaper until you have germination then remove.

It does not remove the problem of dud seeds but I get much better germination this way, and no rot.

Steve...