Sunburned beans?

[HeyWayne]

Spent hours on the plot yesterday, took the broad beans with me and left them out whilst I got on doing other things. With the fierce sunshine and heat I'm wondering if they got sunburnt. They've got black bits all over them. You can see them on my blog.

Anyone any ideas if they are, and how to make them better? Rub aftersun on them maybe?

[Paulottie]

Never heard of that one Wayne. I have sunburnt houseplants that were migrating outside for the summer before. Black bits /black leg is more usually wind rock damage. I'm not really the man to ask as BB's are one of the few crops I sow direct. Interesting one. hope they pick up.

[HeyWayne]

Checked them this morning and they don't look very well at all. Some have flopped right over, but pretty much all of them are blackening/turning a dark brown.

I feel murderous.

[Flummery]

The beans themselves look a bit near the surface Wayne - they could have been sown a bit deeper. Can you earth them up? Also it might help to stake them - they look a good bit more leggy than mine. (I'm a bit mean to hardy stuff - don't keep them in the greenhouse too long. Once the last ones are through they tough it out outside the greenhouse in the day for a week or so then all the time for another week. By this time they are short and hardy and get planted out then.) They are fairly tough plants and quite hard to kill.

[zazen999]

HW - you've been busy. Wore me out just reading your blog.

The only thing I can see in Hessayon book is foot rot/root rot; but it is the leaves not the stems so can't see that it is that.

Mine have only ever turned black when they got frosted.

Are you going to put them in anyway and see what happens? They might perk up when in the ground and watered.

[Paulottie]

Still fail to see the point of sowing BB indoors. Just making work for yourselves I say. In essence Flum is right though- grow them hard for a tougher plant.

[HeyWayne]

The reason I've grown them indoors to begin with is that I've had previous problems with direct sown peas - mice ate the lot. I wanted to give the broadies and other legumes a bit of a head start in the hope that they'd see off any mouse/snail attacks. (moreso for the prized Heritage varieties!) My intention was to cover them over once planted to keep the birds off.

I haven't moved them outside of a morning as yet because I thought it was too cold. I might try and plant them out tonight and just hope for the best.

[HeyWayne]

HW - you've been busy. Wore me out just reading your blog.

Thanks for reading zazen - I'm feeling it now though! Hands hurt, legs are tight and sunburn's a bit tender. What is it they say - no brain, no pain?

[zazen999]

Hands hurt, legs are tight and ... a bit tender.

Sounds like any Saturday night out in Luton!

[HeyWayne]

Sounds like any Saturday night out in Luton!

Me, go out!? Naah!

[HeyWayne]

The beans themselves look a bit near the surface Wayne - they could have been sown a bit deeper. Can you earth them up? Also it might help to stake them - they look a good bit more leggy than mine. (I'm a bit mean to hardy stuff - don't keep them in the greenhouse too long.

How high do the supports/stakes need to be, and do they need netting/cross supports to latch onto?

[Flummery]

Depends on the variety. (And how windy your site is). If the plants aren't too floppy and it's not a huge variety (like Bunyard's exhibition!) you can just support by putting a stake at each corner and string around. With big or slightly floppy plants it might be best to put a 4ft cane by each plant and loosely tie in with string.

[HeyWayne]

Cheers ma, I might do a hybrid of both - for Justin. Belt and braces like.

[HeyWayne]

Well, put them in the ground last night. Fingers crossed they recover!

[Flummery]

I have every confidence dear boy!