runner bean plants a bit yellow

[blackcatlois]

My runner beans plants have gone rather yellow... or should I say very light green. Could this be down to lack of nutrients? I gave them some miracle grow multi purpose plant food the other day so am keeping my fingers crossed they might green up a bit. Any ideas?

[SueA]

Hi Blackcatlois, what's the weather been like where you live recently? Were your beans planted out direct or did you start them off indoors & harden them off? It could be that they've been a bit too cold or even too hot, under or overwatered or just need a bit of a feed as you've tried. As long as you keep them well-watered & fed (try something like chicken manure pellets or seaweed feed if you've got any) & they're still growing they should recover.

[TEB]

Usually runner beds are prepared with a lot of compost because they are hungry plants, so I would carry on with the feeding and if nutrient defiency then a dosing of Epsom Salts will help.

[witch-1]

Thanks mine are also very pale!

Specially the one on its lonesome... (growing him in a terracotta welly!)

[Cutecumber]

If your soil is not really packed with nutrients, a regular additional feed is the way to go for runner beans. They will eat and drink as much as you can give them. Top dress with some fertiliser or chicken manure pellets (a good nitrogen boost) and give them a regular spray with Epsom salts or seaweed solution. Giving dilute spray "tonics" like the latter on their own every day for a week or two should bring the colour back, but don't forget to keep feeding the roots as well.

[blackcatlois]

Thanks everybody for your replies. I will top dress with chicken manure when I go to the lottie on Saturday and do the daily seaweed spray. I'll let you know if it works - fingers crossed!

[rustylady]

Could be transplant shock. Mine looked really awful a couple of weeks ago, but are still alive and looking a bit better. Climbing up the supports and a better colour. Mind you that was at the weekend, they could be drowned by now as it's p****g down again.

[dexterdoglancashire]

What about a mulch of pony poo? Ive seen a couple of people do that with their beans on our lottie site? What does everyone think, should I give it a go? Methinks it would certainly cut down on all the weeds! Bernie

[witch-1]

Mine wont be transplant shock as it grew from a baby bean to the plant it is now in the same pot!

Need to feed mine me thinks...

good luck with yours Blackcatlois

[Stacey]

ive had no problem with mine and they're just in compost and soil. thats all i use to feed them. theyre quite dark too,and strong. Not bragging,actually wondering if i should just add a bit more compost every now and then?

[Vegmonkey]

We planted ours in Situ and they have shot up over two weeks! We've put plenty of compost in before we planted...they say digging a trench and filling it with kitchen waste around October, benefits the beans later in the season, as it rots down.

Make sure you pinch out the tops when they reach the top of the canes!

[Stacey]

what does situ mean??

[Geo]

what does situ mean??

A Latin term meaning "in place" or not removed...

Geo..

[Leeder]

My beans seem to be doing well, already over 8 foot tall and no matter how many times i pinch the tops out, they are still 4 inches taller the next day (not sure what I am doing wrong here); the first flowers are just becoming visable.

However a lot of the bottom leaves are yellow and some have fallen off, I presumed this was because they get less light than the leaves higher up.

I grow my beans in a large container, well watered and feed regularly.

Do you think this is something to worry about?

Thanks for your help.

[terrier]

I planted two lots of runners, one lot in pots and some straight into the soil in early April. The ones I planted straight out have mostly been eaten away by slugs and never got a chance to get going. I planted out the ones in pots at the end of May and they seemed a lot hardier. Although they are now starting to climb up the canes they are only about two foot high. I'm hoping they are just waiting for this weather to warm up a bit.