Runner Bean problems

[Ivanhoe]

Hi all
I have got a problem with my runner beans the leaves on the beans have started to darken curl up crinkle round the edge's then the whole leaf crinkles up and dies off this happens to leaves at all heights on the plant on some leaves there is slight yellow mottling the flowers still seem to be ok and i still have plenty of beans on my plants .
If anyone has any ideas what could be causing this and what i can do to stop this i would appreciate it .
As a novice i have no idea at all what is causing this and what to do to stop this all info and help would be greatly appreciated .

[nickdub]

How much water are you giving them, and what sort of ground are they planted in please ?

[Ivanhoe]

Breaking soil up each day with hand weeder and watering each night till wee surface it wet but not pooling . The soil is clay but have dug in plenty of manure this spring .

[nickdub]

Breaking soil up each day with hand weeder and watering each night till wee surface it wet but not pooling . The soil is clay but have dug in plenty of manure this spring .

OK thanks - I'm not sure breaking up the surface is the right approach when dealing with deep rooted plants like beans in the current drought.

I think I'd try scooping out a shallow trench along the row as near to horizontal as possible and then keep filling it with water for say half a day to try to get the moisture lower down. If you want to test first to see if the water is needed, you could try digging a pit down to say 18" first, to see how dry the soil is at that depth.

[Potstubsdustbins]

A picture would help

[Ivanhoe]

Just tried that test with pit got down to arounf 12/14in and soil there is quite dry certainly a lot drier than in the top[ 6/8in .

[nickdub]

definitely get a hosepipe on it then - try and get the water on a good trickle but not so hard it runs-off, then leave it in place for an hour or so - move it a bit and repeat.

You may have to keep at this over several days, as it takes a surprising amount of water to get down and wet the soil properly. The plants will tell you when they are OK again.

[Ivanhoe]

Just sorted out narrow trench at side of beans and got hose pipe on it now see what you mean about water soaking in very quickly .

[nickdub]

Good luck, hope all goes well - you should see the results pretty quickly I think.

[Ivanhoe]

Runner bean problems

These are pictures of some of the affected leafs .
The more crinkled one is nearer the bottom of the plant while the others are about half way up .

[nickdub]

Yep - the curled up leaf is because the plant isn't getting enough water - if they curl the other way ie with the bottom of the leaf going inside, that's usually due to aphids or similar damaging the under-side of the leaf.

[Ivanhoe]

Thank nickbub had hosepipe at work all day today water still soaking in well .