Lima bean is one of a plant that you can grow and the seeds of it will germinate fast. It will not be difficult for you to grow lima bean especially when you have high-quality seeds which are capable to sprout. But what are the ways to make the lima bean seeds germinate fast and how long it will be?
3 Ways On How To Germinate Lima Beans Quickly
Planting Lima Beans In The Soil
If you have high-quality lima bean seeds you can grow them directly in the soil. You can buy lima bean seeds from nurseries, garden centers, or even online. When you have those quality seeds you can just directly grow them in the ground and they will germinate in just a few days.
Find a good location where you are going to grow the lima bean plant. The area should be getting enough sunlight so that when the seeds germinate and become plants they will just be fine and they will get enough light needed for their growth.
Prepare the soil by making it clean and then plant the lima bean seeds around 1 to 1.5 inches deep in the soil. The seeds of lima bean are just small but not too small. They must be planted not too deep so that they will germinate fast. Planting them too deep will make it hard for them to sprout.
After you plant the lima bean seeds you need to water it after. The water will make the soil moist and it will make it easier for the seeds to germinate because it will be a favorable environment for the seeds. The seeds of lima bean will germinate in about 3-10 days.
Germinating Lima Bean Seeds In A Seed Tray
Another way to germinate lima bean seeds is to grow them first on a seed tray. There are gardeners who practice growing the seeds in a seed tray and once they become seedlings they do transplanting.
There are seed trays that you can buy at the agriculture store and they will be useful to germinate lima bean seeds and can also be used for other seeds. A seed tray has many holes on it and you can put many seeds on it.
Prepare your seed tray and put the soil into it. Then put one lima bean seed per hole and cover it with light water. Water it after and the seeds will germinate in a few days. Monitor the seed tray and you will see those seedlings coming out from the soil.
When the lima bean seedlings have enough size you can start transplanting them into the garden. Plant them in a good location where they will get abundant sunlight.
Germinating Lima Bean Seeds In Paper Towel
Lima bean seeds can also be germinated using a paper towel. This method can also be done to have a higher rate of germinating seeds. Get a paper towel and lay it on a table or any flat surface.
Then get a spray bottle and make the paper towel a little bit moist. Place those lima bean seeds in the paper towel and put some spacing. After that fold the tissue paper and spray water again on it. Place the folded paper towel in a ziplock bag and wait for a few days for the seeds to germinate.
After a few days check if the seeds have germinated and you can start planting those seeds in the soil or in a container.
The paper towel method is being used to germinate many kinds of seeds. This method works well and has a high chance rate for the seeds to germinate.
Should Lima Beans Be Soaked Before Planting?
Soaking lima beans in water before planting can help to make the seeds germinate fast. Soak lima beans in water for 12-18 hours before planting. The water will soften the seeds which makes them sprout faster.
When the lima beans are dry they will not germinate but as soon as the seeds have been moisten the seeds will react and they will sprout. Soaking the seeds for a few hours in water will make them grow roots quicker.
But even if you don’t soak lima beans in water they can still germinate fast because the seeds are just small. Commonly plants or vegetables that have small seeds sprout faster compared to the seeds of fruit trees. Fruit tree seeds take a few weeks to sprout and take years to bear fruit.
How Long Do Lima Beans Take To Germinate?
The lima beans germinate fast and it will take about 3 to 10 days to grow roots. The size of the seeds affects the speed of their germination. The lima bean seeds are just small and they will grow roots quickly.
When the lima bean seeds have been sprouted, after a few days seedlings will come out. If you directly plant the seeds in the ground you don’t need to transplant them. Give them enough water and make sure they can get sunlight.
But if you plant those seeds in a seedling tray you need to transplant them. Wait for seedlings to have enough size and after a few days start moving them to a new location.
Do Lima Beans Sprout?
Yes, lima beans will sprout. If you have high-quality seeds you can expect them to sprout in just a few days. There are kinds of seeds that have been stocked for a long period of time and those kinds of seeds decrease their chance to germinate.
You can buy seeds at the garden centers or nurseries or if you have lima bean plants you can save seeds coming from the plants. Let the pods on the lima bean plant mature. Usually, when the pods are color brown and dry the lima bean seeds are ready to harvest and can be used to grow plants again.
If you want to consume lima beans don’t let them become too mature.
Lima Bean Germination Temperature
The ideal lima bean germination temperature is around 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (23-29 degrees Celsius). Lima bean grows well in a well sunny place.
This plant loves sunlight and a good temperature will help the seeds sprout faster. Also, when the plant started to grow they need more light, water, and nutrients to grow better and produce a lot of pods.
It will be bountiful when the plants grow in a favorable environment.
