For the past 4 or 5 years I've had problems with garden bean germination. I have a black walnut tree planted close to the garden and know the dangers of that. So this year my son agreed to grow the beans in his garden and we had to plant 3 different times. I'll still have to buy for canning we won't have enough. Now my daughter who lives 30 miles from me also had almost no beans germinate. Is this a problem for many or just bad gardeners in this family?
Green Bean and Wax Bean Germination
I've never had problems getting beans to germinate. Looking at where you live I suspect the problem is cool soil temperature. 60 is supposed to be the minimum, I wait until the soil is at least 65 before I plant.
Yes, I agree. but just as bad is if the soil is wet while the temperature cool. When have you been sowing? Beans rot in wet soil easily. Pick a dry time to plant if the weather is cool and water only enough to dampen the soil. You can grow a pretty big row by starting seed in mouth wash cups. That may be more appropriate in your climate. Once you can get the beans up they should do fine. Likewise cucumbers. Those are two veggies that need warm temps to germinate but grow well once the seed sprouts.
I've been planting veggies for 44 years (yikes!). The rule of thumb in our zone is safe planting by Memorial weekend. We were late this year and didn't plant until June 7. Our soil is sand with amended compost probably 70 % sand 30 compost so no wet soil problem. I've had the germination deal for quite a few years but refused to cut the black walnnut down. But having to plant 3 times at my sons house and my daughter having the same thing 30 miles from me is strange. A half bushel of beans cost $19 picked and I only got 8 pints recently because so many were woody they had to be tossed. Twice in the last few years I've canned beans without tasting first and they had to be dumped. Once they tasted old and the other were like eating fiber.I really hate to buy them. It's really hard to get fresh beans like we pick out of our gardens. Wish my favorite fresh canned veggie wasn't beans. One of the growers told me the bean season is almost over (only been going 1 month!) so they must have planted in a cooler soil than us. Our beans are about half done and the pickings very meager. So sad. But on the bright side neighbors around us are running away when they see us coming because we've got cucs and zucs in our hands for them (smile).
Farm picked beans are going for twelve dollars a peck here so you're doing well at nineteen a bushel but I hear you on the poor flavor. I excused myself from my Thanksgiving table two years ago to dump the store bought beans in the trash. I never throw out food but these did not count as food. They looked beautiful and tasted like...well, nothing.
Maybe trade some cukes and zucs for beans? Though walnuts are allelopathic that doesn't explain why your other family members could not grow beans in their locations. I'd try pre-sprouting the seed and see what happens when the plant has committed to growing. Of course we're talking next year.