My Dragon Tongue beans, which I'm growing for the first time this year, actually do have a slight buttery taste when cooked! I hadn't noticed that with other wax beans. For the most part, I'd say wax beans are somewhat milder in flavor, but, like the Dragon Tongues, can have subtle nuances in flavor which can be completely buried by strong spices or herbs. For beans cooked with Indian spices like cumin, coriander, hot pepper, etc., I find that green beans are better. Away from strong spices and herbs, though, green and wax can be used interchangeably. I like to have both.

You'll be able to tell. Since they are in what you can consider a mini greenhouse in which the vent is on the top, you can check in each day to monitor the progress. The more consistently warmer it gets, the more you would need to enlarge the opening on the top. In addition, the more you need to make sure the soil is moist and not dried out. But this is a VERY important point. Do not put the containers in full sun as it does get warmer. You will bake your sprouts! Dappled shade works best. But it all really depends on the plant you have in the container. There are people who winter sow and do not plant out their plants until the following year since they have so many plants sprouting from this method. The sooner you plant them out, the better. I planted out my perennials from their containers into a holding bed. Within a month, the sprouts grew more rapidly than I expected. For example, I grew butterfly bush from seed using this method. Two containers, spread seed throughout on top of three inches of soil. Put more soil, about a 1/4" to 1/2" on top of the seeds. Placed outside in February. By April I had sprouts. Put them in the ground in June, on a cool shady day. By September I had 15 six foot tall butterfly bushes. Basically, winter sowing toughens up the seedlings and promotes a vigorous and deep root system. Check out the winter sowing forums here and ask questions. The people are friendly and will give you the advice you will need. Plus, it is addicting. I'll stop ranting now. I hope this helps!

Like Stu said - any length but 6-8" is average. More importantly - "not good" how? Bitter? That is a watering issue. Too little water or inconsistent soil moisture levels. Your watering regimen needs adjustment. Also keep in mind that there are probably 50 different varieties of "burpless cukes" so the specific variety can make a difference - we need the variety name. Dave

My outdoor direct seeded beans sprout between 7-14 days. Anything over 14 days I dig down to check on the seed status. Try planting them shallower and watering less if they are rotting. At first glance I thought your soil looks really soggy and compacted, although the wet bed walls indicate you probably just watered. I would withhold watering, digging down with a finger each day to monitor dry out pace of the bed. What is the soil condition at ground level under the bed? Clay or impenetrable hardpan? If the growing area/depth is just what is raised above ground level it looks shallow to me. I would add another layer of bed wall over the existing and add additional bed soil to raise the bed and deepen grow room. This may be a project for fall/winter for next year's garden.