Rotted Pole Star runner beans

I am on my third try with these/any Runner Beans
I planted them indoors individually in five inch degradable pots 19c windowsill, two of 25 appeared then shot up to 15" high, I eventually raked about the other pots, and every bean has split in half, rotted stem. and each half covered in green mould
Ditto second planting
I am on my third planting today

Do you think I have drowned the previous ones/waterlogged etc

Gee even my eight year old Grandson says he grows them at school in cotton wool filled cups :-)

Any advice or tips please welcomed

Jack McH

 

I used to fill a seed tray half full with compost then line the beans out in the tray, on the surface. Covered with a piece of glass.

I only potted up when a root appeared, so I would pot up over a few days.

Saves potting up duds, although you seem to have had more than your fair share of duds.

 

Hiya Jack.

I normally sow direct, as I too used to have problems with them rotting off. My feeling is that they need good drainage, which (imo) most MP composts don't provide. My advice for what it's worth is...sow direct

 

I am trying to beat the cold up here
To plant direct I may need to wait until the end of June to plant then wait for them to grow
If I can get them started, then actually put plants in rather than seeds at the end of June
I may just get a crop :-(

I am beginning to think, that Gardening in Fife is only for the Well Orf, who can afford
to heat Glass houses
Cold springs /early summers, early end to season due to the cold Autumns

The only real crop I had last year were, Carrots out in the ground, potatoes, and Onions from sets but they did bolt so had to be used early

Regards Jack McH

 

Maybe move south Jack? In all seriousness, it might be worth considering sowing direct under cloches? They wouldn't have to be fancy, maybe make up something using polythene?

 

Jack , I and a few others had the same problem last year growing french beans . If you start in modules the compost needs to be only just damp . I water the compost in my potting tray so it is only just wet , then pot up my French and Runners . Works 100% in about 15 days , then 100% for me is about a dozen beans . I think Petes idea may be the one to try though

 

Jack, I sowed 12 climbing french beans on 16th this month in loo rolls bedded on compost on the kitchen window sill and kept the compost just moist. Went away for a week with instructions for our son to keep them just damp and returned on 25th to find them all up and heathy so planted out on 26th with lemonade bottle cloches protecting them.

We did try an earlier sowing with our granddaughter in cotton wool to grow a bean stalk! But she saturated the wool and none of the seeds germinated.

 

Thanks all
I will try the cloche method, direct into the ground beans then cloche

Jack McH