If you have limited seed, it can't hurt to save them... but I would recommend performing a germination test before you plant them. The broken seed coat - and the exposure to moisture - may seriously reduce their viability.

You are just across the Lake from me, so I get the same early Autumn rains - and inevitably, some damaged seed. Even if the seed proves to be damaged, don't pitch them. Throw 'em in the bean pot. I've got several pounds of mixed beans in an ice cream bucket now, and will make a big pot of soup with them. Kind of an adventure, since I grow different beans every year... it never tastes (or looks) the same twice.

thanks for the reply zeedman.

i know germination test is the thing to do, just never done it for some reason, and i do like bean soup so waste not want not.
i'll give it a go.

keith

I have a bean jar too that I toss any bean into for soup. If it is past it's prime, I leave it for seed. ..... I also go ahead and pick them when dry and even if I'm not saving them for seed, I put them in my soup pot jar.

Keith,

This year every one of my cracked seed coat beans germinated. I do throw out the ones where the seed itself is starting to split into halves.

There's really no reason to have a very limited stock. All you have to do is ask others to plant some of those varieties for you to restock.

Gary