What's going on??

[marninator80]

This is my first season growing broad beans and everything was peachy until today I noticed all the lovely flowers were dying from the bottom up. No flies or aphids but ants!! And then I noticed spots on the leaves..had a bit of research and it seems I got chocolate spot!! I have got them spaced out well but I did leave it quite late sowing and planting out. What has suddenly brought this on? Is it the indecisive weather we've had recently? What should I do now..should I wait and see if I get any sort of crop or should I just pull up and get rid??

[Snoop Puss]

Broad beans are prone to chocolate spot if the leaves get wet, as I guess you'll have seen while doing your research. Have any beans set?

[muddled]

When you say the flowers are dying from the bottom up...they are supposed to do that....and each dying flower should have a tiny baby bean pod just emerging from it. Thats what snoop means by 'beans setting'.

The ants are probably farming aphids. If you look at the tops of the plants and the undersides of the leaves you'll find them. Just squish 'em.

Chocolate spot is unsightly but hopefully, if its just starting, you'll still get a fair crop.

[marninator80]

Broad beans are prone to chocolate spot if the leaves get wet, as I guess you'll have seen while doing your research. Have any beans set?

No, no beans have set yet. I probably would have left it if I'd seen any beans that's why I'm unsure whether to leave and see what happens or pull them up before it gets worse??

[marninator80]

When you say the flowers are dying from the bottom up...they are supposed to do that....and each dying flower should have a tiny baby bean pod just emerging from it. Thats what snoop means by 'beans setting'.

The ants are probably farming aphids. If you look at the tops of the plants and the undersides of the leaves you'll find them. Just squish 'em.

Chocolate spot is unsightly but hopefully, if its just starting, you'll still get a fair crop.

I did have a good look around but didn't see any aphids...the ants are obviously doing a good job!

From what I've seen where the flowers are dying there doesn't seem to be any pods. I'm just assuming it's the chocolate spot as what I read said it will kill off the flowers!

[Jay-ell]

Ants don't get rid of aphids. They farm them like cattle collecting the sugary liquid the aphids excrete. When they're doing this you can see them move the aphids around from place to place to make harvesting easier. They will also fend off predators and protect their herds.

I have this idea that some ancient hunter gatherer watched them and thought "I wonder if that would work for cows?"