Elusive runner beans!

Could the 'good' compost be holding too much moisture, meaning the seeds might be rotting?

I have problems with French beans, and am now on my second sowing attempt, this time in much drier compost (well, garden soil actually, as we have very free-draining soil here).

Good point MamaCaz! I shall retire to the potting shed to investigate ?

I've planted I to the garden so far I have one bean, I've just bungled the rest of the packet into a corner and now hope I'll get a few more.

All mine germinated but I always plant in the greenhouse in pots and tranplant. There are so many birds, snails, slugs and other pests ready to nibble them. Too early for planting out tender plants like French beans, plenty of time for frost yet.

Davidhs
Too early for planting out tender plants like French beans, plenty of time for frost yet.

I totally agree.
I don't usually start off my French beans till quite a bit later, but I am aiming for more continuity this year, so decided to take a risk and sow just a few plants early, in pots indoors, in the hope of a mild spring so i can plant them out earlier than usual. Though be honest, I find French beans very fickle anyway when it comes to germination, with quite a few coming up 'blind' earlier in the season.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained though

Is it too early to put my bean plants out in the garden. Currently they are in GH but they are growing at an astonishing rate and their tendrils are searching for something to hold on too. I know the old rule is that wait till end of May as there still could be a frost. Not sure what to do.

Oh dear. Mine are all flourishing outside.
Germinated in the bathroom and grew very well.

I planted some in a pot outside too early I know but with it so sunny took a chance. Planted some on windowsill in warmest sunniest room came up just a few days later. Potted up in mini greenhouse until ready to go out. Beans planted outside have just started to pop out of soil. Could not get canes though queues ridiculous in hardware store. I took an old split cane fence apart and thin branches from trees too support them. I got such a good harvest of these beans last year I made runner bean chutney. Recipes from Allotment Garden website based in Wales it's a good website very helpful.

H1954 try putting them in a plastic lunch bag on a sunny windowsill. They just might need a nudge to wake up.

H1954 DH never puts the runner bean seeds in until the beginning of the second week in May, straight into the prepared ground. The trench is prepared, the canes are up alreadybut any helpful suggestions from me about starting them off in the greenhouse etc are met with a 'look' and the statement that he has always done the same thing.
And usually has an excellent crop of beans.

Ps he's never had a failure yet, the only problem being later as the dear little sparrows love packing off the red flowers.
We have bought a variety which has white flowers too to see what happens.

Btw, talking about runner beans reminds me that I have not seen Pikachu posting lately; we had a discussion about runner beans on another thread.
I hope she is OK.

Pecking, not packing

Elusive?
You should stick to Broad Beans, they don’t move as fast.

MawB
Broad beans stay around calling 'eat me, eat me' but no-one wants to

I just sent a PM to Pikachu but she is not receiving PMS so perhaps has left GN.
That's a shame, when I was worrying about not being able to get any seeds, she very kindly pmd me and offered to send me some as she had plenty, which I thought was very kind.

I now have 5 beans (plenty for just me) they are in the ground but in a sheltered spot I think they’ll be ok.

Yay! Success! I now have runner beans! Many thanks for all your comments and advice GN. Stay safe!

do what I did and germinate on wet kitchen roll. It was easy to then sow the germinators into root trainers. At least 40% did not germinate. My beans are out now and thriving

Sowed mine two weeks ago and they are two inches high, in another week , I will put them outside for an hour first day, then add another hour on each day until they are out all day and then plant out. Every year I have a failure with something and a success with another, it's like a lucky dip.