Do Bean Seeds Grow Better in Soil, Water or a Wet Paper Towel?

Soil

• The best place to sprout bean seeds is in the soil where they will grow to maturity. The soil should be kept moist but not wet. When bean seeds are planted in soil they can begin absorbing nutrients as soon as they sprout, even before leaves appear. Beans have shallow root systems that spread out rather than down. This makes them more susceptible to root damage when transplanting young plants, often resulting in the young plant dying.

Towel

• Bean seeds can be sprouted on a wet paper towel if they are transplanted quickly and carefully. If you have beans that have sat for years in a package, it's more practical to sprout them on a wet towel than to plant them in their permanent home before knowing if they can grow. Sprouting bean seeds on a paper towel has some disadvantages. Once the beans begin to grow they must be planted within a day or two or the roots begin to grow into the paper towel. Beans have delicate roots that do not respond well to being disturbed, so not all plants will survive being transplanted once they begin to sprout.

Water

• Placing beans in water to sprout is the least effective method. Bean seeds tend to soak up too much water in wet conditions. This causes the seeds to crack and become damaged. Once this happens they will not sprout. Bean seeds also need oxygen in order to germinate. Submerging the seeds in water can drown them. Most bean seeds in water will spoil rather than sprout.

Soil

• Because beans have weak root systems that do not grow deeply into the soil they need regular watering. Soil needs to be well drained so roots do not become too wet, but should also be mulched well to keep it evenly moist between watering. Beans do not need rich or highly amended soil; they grow well in normal garden soil. They also do not require fertilizer unless the soil is poor. Adding fertilizer can actually reduce the yield for beans.