Soil is quite a bit warmer and drier right next to the concrete blocks than it is several feet out in the middle. Dig down to a couple and see if they have sprouted at all or rotted. Bean seeds rot fairly quickly in wet coot soil.

Dave

Actually I just learned a short while ago that it was the 274s that did not germinate. When I moved my hand through the soil I couldn't find a single seed. So either I am losing it (which is definitely possible but not likely in this case) or they were pillaged (birds?)

I would have probably noticed the soil being disturbed though yet I did not and I check on my garden pretty much daily.

I had two packages of 274s and two packages of Rocdors when I started. When I checked in my seed box today I only had one package of each which adds up.

When I opened the Rocdor package I noticed the mottled purple seed color matched that of the seed remnants in the garden (when I was thinning them out today) so that's how I knew it was the white 274s that "vanished".

So it was the 274s that rotted? But regardless of the variety that didn't germinate the main issue is still the warmer, drier soil next to the wall.

Sure. Once they begin to break down the all the soil residents quickly go to work on them. Or field mice, or voles, or maybe it was a message from the garden gnomes. :)

Dave

Last night I went to plant some more various garden beans (Burpee brand) and noticed that the soil in my beds was crawling with ants. Not your typical house ant but a bit lighter in color. So after planting my new beans I decided to apply DE to the entire area with my puffer applicator.

Still wondering why my Rocdors germinated just fine and not my 274s? The Rocdors were listed as being treated with Captan (don't know what that means) in the seed catalog meanwhile the 274s were untreated.

I just realized today that it may not have been the best idea to sow the new beans last night with the good amount of rain we may get between Sun and Tues.