What's Gone Wrong???

[SusieG]

Sowed my DFB in August. They were doing really well, plenty of flowers, then I look at them yesterday, and they look terminal! Advice please, where've I gone wrong?
Also Charlotte potatoes pretty much look a soggy mess too. I cut all the soggy haulms back. Will there be any tubers do you think? Or has something I've done/not done destroyed them? Thanks all.

[roitelet]

It looks as if the beans are outside, if that is the case it is just too cold for them and they have died. The same could be true of the Charlottes but pictures of them would help.

[bario1]

Looks like they've got frosted, Susie.

[Lumpy]

I agree with the above as it's now too cold for them to survive.

The wind will also cause huge damage this time of year.

[Jungle Jane]

Have you got a plastic cloche to let it dry out a bit & protection from the wind? Theres a bit of green there still,the wind has been a bit dramatic the last couple of days,good luck with them.

[Lisasbolt]

Another one to agree with the cold, my beans did the same earlier on in the year and look like a soggy mess like you said

[Martin H]

Sowing after the end of July will always be a risk, a race against time to get a crop before the cold and wet sets in.

Potato foliage dies off naturally at this time of year. Fingers crossed there will be some spuds under there to dig up in Christmas week!

[SusieG]

Thanks to you all. So, lesson learned - I should've put them under cover.
I'm going to see if I can salvage them, moving into GH to see if they can perhaps dry out ...

[SusieG]

I've just heaved 'em into the greenhouse - fingers crossed ...

[roitelet]

Now you will have to watch out for botritis. I've just yanked all of mine out of the tunnel because of that.

[SusieG]

Roitelet, what's botritis look like?? Help, it just goes from bad to worse ...

[Penellype]

I'd agree with cold - although November has been very warm for the time of year, we did have some chilly nights about a week ago which could have been the culprit.

Botrytis is a fluffy grey mould that thrives in damp conditions and is a major problem under cover. Most plants can get it, soft leaved plants are very susceptible, as is anything with dead plant matter anywhere near it. I have some french beans under cover and I'm finding that the leaves anf flowers are fine until the flowers start to die, and then the botrytis sets in on the dead flower petals and kills the whole shoot. Thankfully the air is a bit less damp now than it was, but warm and wet is ideal botrytis weather.

[SusieG]

Thanks for info Penellype! Hopefully with some air circulating in the GH I might be lucky ...
Must keep an eye on things in there!