Have some bush bean seeds left over from last year; planted a lot of them, not many sprouted.
Wasn’t sure if they had gone bad, or I had planted/watered them poorly, so I planted a lot more, about 2” apart, in rows roughly 12” apart.
Most of them sprouted.
The directions on the envelope say the rows should be 18-30” apart, and thinned to 6” apart in each row.
This seems a bit sparse; it would leave a lot of sunlight uncaptured.
Anyone have any thoughts on a more appropriate plant spacing?
I sprout my peas and beans inside on a cookie sheet between two pieces of paper toweling. Spacing...6”...Rows are just 6” apart, too.
I plant mine in double rows. 6” apart within the row, each row is 6-8” from its partner, but then enough space to walk before the next double row.
If planting in blocks, you can stagger the seeds so they are 6” apart in all directions. Just make sure the block is narrow enough you can still reach the middle.
The 18-30” is so you have room to walk, and if using a tractor you have room for the wheels between rows.
An excellent source for seed expected longevity, seed germination testing, and seed storage :
.. << https://www.gardeningchannel.com/seed-life-chart-how-long-will-seeds-last/ >>
Also, there are referrals to other cooperative extension articles.