seeds not germinating

Question

I have twice planted blue lake pole bean seeds in the last 5 weeks here in San Antonio and none of them has sprouted. I soaked them each time I planted overnight and keep them watered just about daily. The soil is excellent in very large planters getting sun nearly all day. Any ideas why these won’t sprout? I bought them at a reputable nursery a week before my first planting.

Answer 1

Here are some common germination problems:

Incorrect Temperature. Different seeds have different needs. Cool weather crops such as cabbage, kale or broccoli have a much lower germination temperature while warm weather crops like tomatoes will germinate better with temperatures in the 70F range. If you are sprouting your seeds in a cool basement or outbuilding you may need to provide supplemental heat- such as a heating mat– to ensure germination.

Old Seeds. When properly stored seeds can have a very long shelf life. But the older they get, your germination rate will begin to reduce. For the longest life, store your seeds in a cold, dry place. Humidity and warmth will greatly reduce your seeds’ shelf life.

Incorrect Watering. Water in a necessity for all plants. In the germination stage you need to make sure you keep the soil evenly moist. If you water too much, you run the risk of your seeds rotting before they germinate. If you let them dry out, they will either never germinate or die trying!

Planting Depth/Light. When you plant your seeds pay attention to your planting depth. This is important because if planted too deep you plants could run out of energy before reaching sunlight. Planting too shallow can lead to drying out. Some seeds actually need some light to germinate, so instead of digging them down you just press them into your soil. Read your seed packets for information on each seed.

I hope this helps. 🙂