My runner beans are dying!

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by redwoods36, May 25, 2011.

  1. redwoods36

    redwoods36 Apprentice Gardener

    Joined:
    May 25, 2011
    Messages:
    4
    Ratings:
    +1
    The leaves on my runner beans are drying up and crumbling to nothing. What has gone wrong.
    I am worried because I have planted a fig tree nearby and the leaves on it are not looking very healthy today.
    Have I overwatered? Has it been too windy? Any ideas?
     
    • Useful Useful x 1
    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

      Joined:
      Jul 3, 2006
      Messages:
      61,004
      Gender:
      Male
      Occupation:
      Retired - Last Century!!!
      Location:
      Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
      Ratings:
      +117,313
      Hi redwood,

      A photo would be of help :thumb:. It sounds like wind damage to me and some colder nights may not have helped. Whereabouts in the country do you live?
       
    • Fidgetsmum

      Fidgetsmum Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Jul 25, 2009
      Messages:
      1,592
      Location:
      Deepest, darkest Kent
      Ratings:
      +865
      Hi redwoods - any chance of a piccie? It's often easier to know what's going if we can see it.

      I wouldn't think they've been overwatered, as I understand it, the leaves on over watered beans would tend to go yellow, but it could be that water left on the leaves has caused them to get sunburnt.

      If your beans are getting white, papery patches before they dry up and crumble, the first thing I'd ask is, where do you live and were they grown under glass and then hardened off sufficiently before they were put in the ground?

      Failing that, it could possibly be some late-frost damage (the temperatures have been up and down and all over the place lately) and beans are very susceptible to the cold - it could be wind burn, or indeed sun scorch or combination of both - a fate suffered by several of my French beans.

      I'd suggest, if possible, you put up some sort of 'shade' to screen them from direct sunlight and/or protect them from the wind - I bought a length of horticultural fleece (you can buy it by the metre from most garden centres or, failing that, I notice Poundland sell it too - no idea what sort of size though), which I've put around my beans and held it in place by 'pegging' it to the poles with common-or-garden wooden laundry pegs, you could even use something like newspaper.
       
    • Kristen

      Kristen Under gardener

      Joined:
      Jul 22, 2006
      Messages:
      17,534
      Gender:
      Male
      Location:
      Suffolk, UK
      Ratings:
      +12,667
      I think wind damage is the most likely.

      Please put your location in your profile.
       
    • Lad

      Lad Gardener

      Joined:
      May 10, 2011
      Messages:
      237
      Occupation:
      Senior Consultant
      Location:
      Suffolk
      Ratings:
      +46
      wind damage and water on the leaves causing sunburn is more likely
       
    • redwoods36

      redwoods36 Apprentice Gardener

      Joined:
      May 25, 2011
      Messages:
      4
      Ratings:
      +1
      I will try to get a picture. I live in Lincolnshie. Yes it has been very windy and very sunny recently.
       
    • Kristen

      Kristen Under gardener

      Joined:
      Jul 22, 2006
      Messages:
      17,534
      Gender:
      Male
      Location:
      Suffolk, UK
      Ratings:
      +12,667
      "I live in Lincolnshie"

      Please put that in your profile - then we won't keep asking you :thumb:
       
      • Friendly Friendly x 1
      • JWK

        JWK Gardener Staff Member

        Joined:
        Jun 3, 2008
        Messages:
        30,692
        Gender:
        Male
        Location:
        Surrey
        Ratings:
        +45,648
        My runners have been outside for a few weeks now but they would have been shredded by the cold winds of late if I hadn't got some clear PVC sheets around them, making a kind of cloche.
         
      • Kristen

        Kristen Under gardener

        Joined:
        Jul 22, 2006
        Messages:
        17,534
        Gender:
        Male
        Location:
        Suffolk, UK
        Ratings:
        +12,667
        Mine were outside hardening off in a sheltered spot (well, I thought it was sheltered!). They took a battering none the less, and I bought them in at lunchtime ...
         
      • Susan Broome

        Susan Broome Apprentice Gardener

        Joined:
        May 19, 2019
        Messages:
        6
        Gender:
        Female
        Ratings:
        +0
         
      • Susan Broome

        Susan Broome Apprentice Gardener

        Joined:
        May 19, 2019
        Messages:
        6
        Gender:
        Female
        Ratings:
        +0
        This is what's happening to my runner beans, the leaves have gone white and crumbled away, I thought it may have been the wind but now it's happened to my petunia and tomato plants in the green house, any suggestions ?
         
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

        Joined:
        Dec 5, 2010
        Messages:
        16,524
        Location:
        Central England on heavy clay soil
        Ratings:
        +28,996
        Are their leaves touching the greenhouse glass? (as that's another way to burn leaves).

        P.S. Is it a glass greenhouse or polythene covered 'greenhouse'?
         
        Last edited: May 19, 2019
      • Susan Broome

        Susan Broome Apprentice Gardener

        Joined:
        May 19, 2019
        Messages:
        6
        Gender:
        Female
        Ratings:
        +0
        It's a polythene greenhouse, I don't think it's anything to do with the greenhouse, as my petunia, and runner beans outside have got it, today I noticed the begonia too. I've just been looking at pics on here, there's a photo which says sickly plants, that's very similar to how mine look, it's started with the leaves going white
         
      • Freddy

        Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

        Joined:
        Jul 15, 2007
        Messages:
        9,461
        Gender:
        Male
        Occupation:
        Retired - yay!
        Location:
        Bristol
        Ratings:
        +12,508
        Any chance of a photo?
         
      • Susan Broome

        Susan Broome Apprentice Gardener

        Joined:
        May 19, 2019
        Messages:
        6
        Gender:
        Female
        Ratings:
        +0
      Loading...

      Share This Page

      1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
        By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
        Dismiss Notice