I have / had three double rows of Climbing French Bean Blue Lake in my tunnel which reached the top of their 8ft canes, and were merrily travelling along the crop bars and overhead irrigation system too. Loads of flowers and just starting to set beans when some leaves started to turn yellow. So, thinking it was possibly a trace element deficiency, added Epsom salts to their diet but problem got worse.
On closer inspection it appears that the first row of plants had developed stem rot (Sclerotinia to give it correct name). This disease then spreads throughout the plant and even flowers which fall off onto lower leaves can spread the infection - Really annoying that it has happened just as I was contemplating starting to crop the beans.
I have removed the first double row but now the next row looks as if it is heading the same way.
Any advice on whether I can save the remaining plants ( and how this may be done) or should I quit now, rip them out and plant the space up with something else.
From what I understand the disease can travel in many ways - water, soil and air included so no real way of identifying the source of the problem.
As a matter of interest, I checked the root system of every plant I removed and they all appeared to be perfectly healthy.
On closer inspection it appears that the first row of plants had developed stem rot (Sclerotinia to give it correct name). This disease then spreads throughout the plant and even flowers which fall off onto lower leaves can spread the infection - Really annoying that it has happened just as I was contemplating starting to crop the beans.
I have removed the first double row but now the next row looks as if it is heading the same way.
Any advice on whether I can save the remaining plants ( and how this may be done) or should I quit now, rip them out and plant the space up with something else.
From what I understand the disease can travel in many ways - water, soil and air included so no real way of identifying the source of the problem.
As a matter of interest, I checked the root system of every plant I removed and they all appeared to be perfectly healthy.
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