Borlotti Beans Dying

[thekitchendiaries]

Hi everyone,

I wonder if there is any advice for my failing Borlotti Beans - I sowed a short row at the beginning of the month, and we've had a few seedlings appear with healthy leaves and strong stems.

I had them under a cloche until the beautiful weather appeared, and have been watering them consistently (not too much and not too little).

One has come up without leaves, and a couple of the others have lost their leaves since coming up. I have a couple more emerging, but they aren't looking great. I think we only have 2 normal looking ones left!! I've taken some photos to try and find out what's going on. Any advice would be much appreciated before I attempt to sow some more!

Thanks,

Leanne

[Scarlet]

It's very early to start beans outside. It may be warm enough for them to germinate especially under your cloche but the wind chill and the occasional lows will set them back. Look at the recent threads on French beans etc..
The one that has come up without leaves is how they start to grow. The ones that have lost their leaves may be through slugs if they haven't got cold. Sometimes it's easier to start off in pots so that they are a little bigger to stand off a slug attack.

[Scarlet]

I read a thread yesterday, someone used the plastic pint pots with the bottom cut out placed over the plant and sunk in the ground slightly stopped the slugs from nipping out the tops of their beans.
Anyway, plenty more time to start a few more off. Good luck!

[BertieFox]

Looking at the photos, it looks like your soil may be quite heavy and lumpy. I notice you have some gravel there, presumably to lighten the soil. Beans do NOT like germinating in hard lumpy soil and this often damages the seed leaves of the emerging plant. I have had this happen even in pots, and recognise the leafless 'stump' with just the outside of the seed case.

I would suggest you try resowing in a good loose compost. Unless you are growing a large quantity, I find it is always better to sow them in pots and then plant out as soon as they are growing away and have a good root system. It also means you can plant out at the right distance without any gaps.

As someone said above, it is also very early in the season and sowing at the beginning of May is VERY early for beans. If I were you I would resow in pots and plant out once they are well formed, or sow direct in the ground in drills filled with a good loose compost.

[Nicos]

You could try fleecing the ones you already have there...it may make a difference...and then fill in the gaps with pot grown ones?