Topic: Broad beans - something's eating them

[MrsBravis]

This isn't your average broad bean leaf nibbling.  Something's been in over the Easter break and taken the heads off about half the plants!

A rabbit maybe?  Deer?!?  (I have woodland nearby).

And will the plants regenerate?  Someone actually told me it was a good idea to take the heads off leggy broad bean plants that have been reared indoors when you plant them out, so maybe whatever it was has done me a favour...?

[Fork]

If you "take the heads off" they wont grow surely???

or will they send out newer shots from the bottom???

[shirlton]

I pinch the top of mine to stop the blackfly. I do it as soon as I spot it. I dont think it will hurt your plants as they will probably side shoot

[little pud]

god, dont say something is eating the tops off, i have just uncovered mine so thats all i need! something has already took the tops off my leeks, again. mite as well just grow stuff for the wildlife and go buy ours from the shops.  >:(

[chriscross1966]

has anyone else had germination issues with broadbeans this year caused by halo blight?....... I don't know why I seem to be having such a bad time of it as usually it's b een a one seed in 20 sort of a problem that I've never been fussed by, this year it's at about 50 percent..... I'm using CHeshuint compounds....... what's wrong?

chrisc

[redimp]

has anyone else had germination issues with broadbeans this year caused by halo blight?....... I don't know why I seem to be having such a bad time of it as usually it's b een a one seed in 20 sort of a problem that I've never been fussed by, this year it's at about 50 percent..... I'm using CHeshuint compounds....... what's wrong?

chrisc

Why would halo blight cause germination issues?  I thought it was something caught by an already growing (therefore germinated) plant.

[chriscross1966]

has anyone else had germination issues with broadbeans this year caused by halo blight?....... I don't know why I seem to be having such a bad time of it as usually it's b een a one seed in 20 sort of a problem that I've never been fussed by, this year it's at about 50 percent..... I'm using CHeshuint compounds....... what's wrong?

chrisc

Why would halo blight cause germination issues?  I thought it was something caught by an already growing (therefore germinated) plant.

Sorry, maybe I'm using the wrong term.... I've found that the failed beans have been infested by a fungal growth forming a "halo" around them.... I thought that was halo blight.... my apologies if it isn't... I'm aware that a certain amount of fungal activity accompanies the successful germination of a bean but this seemed excessive.....

chrisc

[redimp]

No apology necessary - mine was a genuine question and not a criticism. :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Mine have come up fine. I've germinated Aquadulce Claudia when they've been black, shrivelled, and growing blue mould. Halo blight is usually found on the leaves, in a wet season.

[little pud]

mine seem ok at the mo, mind you they are only just showing through, i have bunyards and masterpiece.

[banshee]

My Aquadulce Claudia are doing great again this year, they are full of flowers at the moment.   :)

[Bjerreby]

My Aquadulce Claudia are doing great again this year, they are full of flowers at the moment.   :)

I can't say the same about my aquadulce claudia. Half died, the rest are doing nowt at all, while my Jubilee Hysor beans are coming up very fine. No more AC for me!

[shirlton]

We usually sow our aquadulce in October but last year due to a late holiday they didn't go in until November. The weather was very cold and the germination rate was 50% down. I  sowed some more in Feb and nothing came up. I think it must be due to the weather. I have had to sow some more.Green Windsor. Has anyone grown them

[Digeroo]

I have had problems with pigeons and squirrels felling broad beans.  Squirrels sometimes eat the seed and leave the top behind. 

[MrsBravis]

Aha!  Squirrels. That would explain it I suppose since we have quite a few of them running about the place.  Destructive little buggers.  Did you know that if you catch a [grey] squirrel it is illegal to release it again - you have to kill it? 

I have netted the rest of my beans, although if I squirrel is responsible I'm guess this won't stop it.

Re: germination.  I only had about 5 fail to germinate from about 50 beans, but I started all mine off indoors in toilet roll tubes and planted them out when they were a good 15 cm.  Not sure if this was a good idea (this is my first year), but I work in a school and they're so satisfyingly quick to grow indoors that it was mainly to get the kids excited about gardening.

[adeymoo]

have the heads gone overnight. I have broad beans and due to attention drawn elsewhere on the plot did not notice the plants were being eaten to an extent that a few look headless. The plants also had scalloped bite marks on the  remaining leaves and this is due to bean weevil. Any help with an organic prevention would be great, at the moment I am hoeing around the plants to see if this works.