Topic: Diseased beans?

[RobinOfTheHood]

This year I made a frame for the runners and climbing french beans, quite a big one and had 6 varieties in. unfortunately some of them developed brown patches, a lot like rust (which was prevalent on the rest of the plot), but which I have been led to believe was a virus.

I've pulled them all down today and put them on the bonfire (ready for the kids at the weekend!) but my question is..

Do I need to move the frame in spring, or will a virus be killed by cold weather? And if it was indeed rust, does the same apply? Obviously it'd be much less work to be able to leave it where it is and replant.

[star]

I dont know enough about viruses on beans, but it may be frost burn. Specially if it developed as it got colder

[RobinOfTheHood]

No, they've had it for months.

[Uncle Joshua]

Got any pictures?

[RobinOfTheHood]

No, it was dark....  :-[

[redimp]

Mine got rust too so interested in replies to this thread.

[BAK]

I have suffered from bean rust as well, particularly on my runner beans (Enorma) this year which were fairly disastrous. I have had it in previous years on climbing French beans (Blue Lake) but it has usually been more of a relatively minor irritant.

My case fits some of the patterns for rust, ie later sown (early June in my case) are more likely to suffer and the damp conditions do not help.

In retrospect I probably exacerbated the problem by using fleece (the cheap stuff not enviromesh) around the bottom 3 feet or so to protect against deer. I would guess that this impeded air circulation.

It would be interesting to know which of your varieties suffered and which did not.

I plan to (a) pay extra special attention to cleaning my supports (with Jeyes Fluid), (b) move the beans to another area, (c) sterilise the soil with Jeyes Fluid (although this is one of these things that is frowned on these days (by the EU?)) and (d) review the varieties that I use (hence my interest in your varieties that fared better).

[calendula]

I'm surprised that we gardeners didn't get rust with the weather we had this year and it is the warm/cool and wet weather that breeds the rust - it is airborn as well so neighbouring plots could be responsible

it would have been best to have got rid of them earlier as it does spread quickly and can overwinter well

there are some plant sprays you can try such as chamomile or chives that you can use when it starts to occur (unless you want to resort to nasty chemicals - toss up between rust and poison  ;D) or you can try a rust resistant variety and if it occurs again next year then water only the base of the plants as water ON the plants can encourage rust to form - rotate crops will help but as I said rust is carried in the air as well so it depends on how windy it is

it is a shame we have to pick disease resistant varieties in stead of those for flavour and yield

[RobinOfTheHood]

The climbing french were most affected..Goldfield the worst, Blue Lake and Lingua di Fuocca (sp?) not quite so bad.

The runners weren't really bothered, being more vigorous.

Guess it was rust then, do we just hope for a severe winter?

[redimp]

Unfortunately due to my germination, snail, slug.... problems with runners this year, mine were picked up as small plants roadside and were merely labelled as runner beans - they were a red flowered variety and that is all I know.

I shall disinfect my canes but luckily my rotation means that next year my beans will be as far away as they can be from where they were this year.

[RobinOfTheHood]

It's getting to D-Day, ie almost time to plant this years' beans. Any advance on the above?

We had a few night's really severe frost in Jan/Feb, maybe this will affect the answer?

Maybe just a particularly wet summer last year?

Or is it a cert, does it have to be moved? I noticed that my neighbour's frame has been in the same place as long as I can remember (must ask him) but he only grows runners.

Ta.  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I haven't had bean rust, but I always get it on my garlic. Normally it does no harm, but last year it was so bad it killed the foliage on my Solent Wight.