Why are none of my beans germinating?

[BornToFolk]

I did quite well with runner beans last year, and fairly well with French beans so I thought I'd have another go this year. I've planted runner, French and broad bean seeds as well as peas but apart from one solitary runner bean nothing else has germinated.

What am I doing wrong?! I'm planting beans in individual post of general purpose compost, keeping them on the windowsill in the conservatory (nice sunny spot where I germinate everything), watering well....and nada!

How long ago did you plant them? Mine are taking their time to come up.

Sometimes they take a long time, sometimes they just rot.

I've left some for a good few weeks as I know they can take a while and I started some early when it was still cold. But I've got some now that I planted about 3 weeks ago, so when it had started to warm up, and still nothing.
They are all leftover seeds from last year - does that make a difference?

Have you had a dig in a pot to see what's happening? If seeds have done nothing or have gone a bit mouldy then throw them out and get some new seeds for a second attempt.

Yes it will make a difference that they're left overs. We have to use fresh every year as have had that problem before.

I have runner, broad and dwarf beans from last year. So far 100% broad beans, 50% runner beans and only 15% dwarf beans have sucessfully germinated bastard birds ate the solitary dwarf bean sproutling

Have another try or get fresh beans. Everything is late this year so I think there is time for a later start.

thanks for the advice! Think I'll invest in a new packet of seeds then. I'm a total cheapskate when it comes to gardening and try to make use of what I've got but if the bloody things aren't going to germinate anyway, it's a bit of a lost cause!

Have you covered them with a clear plastic bag? Runner beans germinate much better if enclosed until they get going. Just fasten it on with an elastic band - make sure there is some height above it so the emerging seedlings have got some room to grow.

Thanks DewDr0p! I'll definitely give that a try when I get my new seeds.

For the future, no reason you can't save your own bean (& pea) seeds, just set aside one plant & mark it with a bit of ribbon or something so as not to pick, you'll have loads for next year.