Donna,

Generally, I'd say that it's not worth starting beans inside. But there are a number of good gardeners who do. So, I guess it's a matter of personal priorities.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that it wasn't the seeds' fault. Don't throw your seed out. I suspect something got into your plants, in the planter. I had a similar nightmare, this year, with fungus gnats, which are exceedingly difficult to control. You might try watering with a solution of 1 teaspoon dish detergent to the gallon of water, in an attempt to kill the worms.

If you have other plants going indoors, you should consider the possibility of contaminating them with the same problem. Easiest solution, in my opinion, would be to throw the seedlings out and direct seed in the garden after danger of frost. You'll see that the seedlings will grow quite rapidly.

George
Tahlequah, OK (Native of NJ)

Thanks for your quick response.

So, if the worms weren't IN the seed, then they were in the soil pellet that came with the greenhouse kit? None of the soil was from outside and I can't fathom how the worms got into my house, and found the bean seedlings in my attic.

I gather my first mistake was to plant the beans in advance. Next year, I'll just plant outside. But still - how did they get inside?

Donna

I suppose they could have come in the kit. But I'm pretty certain they weren't in the seed to begin with. Was the soil mix already damp when you purchased it? It's possible they were in the soil.

In my problem, it appears the fungus gnats arrived in a sweet potato someone sent me to grow out. Once it was planted in moist soil, the multiplied very rapidly.

George