Bean plant problem

[Perno]

Hi! I'm new here and a beginner at gardening. I'm trying to grow just 4 plants in an 18 cubit foot raised bed here in Florida (zone 9a).

My cherry tomatoes look fine, but these beans just don't look healthy. I'm watering once a day in the morning because the soil is dry, but then I gave it 2 days between waterings and it didn't seem to make a difference. Any ideas what's happening?

Thank you!

 

[Chuck]

It appears that your beans are suffering from a lack of nutrition. When and with what have you fertilized them? Also, you are watering too often as evidenced by the browning leaf tips and leaf margins.

 

[Ruderunner]

Personally, I think it's an over watering problem. That soil is pretty chunky, the top is probably drying out faster than the bottom. Stick a finger in all the way and see if it's wet down deep.

 

[Perno]

It appears that your beans are suffering from a lack of nutrition. When and with what have you fertilized them? Also, you are watering too often as evidenced by the browning leaf tips and leaf margins.

I planted them like 2 weeks ago in a mix of Miracle Gro, manure/soil mix, and some kind of raised bed mix soil, all that I got from Lowe's. I haven't used any more additional fertilizer yet, I planned on giving some in a couple more weeks. Is that the right approach?

 

[Perno]

Personally, I think it's an over watering problem. That soil is pretty chunky, the top is probably drying out faster than the bottom. Stick a finger in all the way and see if it's wet down deep.

Ok I'll try tomorrow and let you know. Out of town for Easter today. I need to add some mulch on the top of this to help these guys retain moisture. I have access to lots of pine tree needles so I'll probably do that.

 

[Chuck]

What I think is happening is that when you water you are leaching the synthetic fertilizer out of the root zone of the plant. Your beans are supposed to be green, not yellow. Yellowing is caused by too much water and/or a lack of nitrogen.

 

[Perno]

Ahhh very interesting!! Ok I pumped it with some Miracle Gro fertilizer just now, we'll see how it reacts to it. Thanks for the explanation, I like to know the "why"

 

[zigs]

I wouldn't use any fertiliser on beans but I would prepare a trench filled with kitchen waste or failing that, any organic matter.

They have nitrogen fixing bacteria in nodules on their roots so can use that to break down any unrotted green stuff in the soil.

They need water but more importantly they need very good drainage, they will quickly rot if they stay too wet.

 

[deckman22]

I don't think they need fertilizer either. Probably too much water as stated already.

 

[Chuck]

I have to disagree with everyone about beans not needing fertilizer. Beans make nitrogen from the air but when a bean plant is young, as in this case, the plant hasn't had time to make enough nitrogen to grow properly. This is evidenced by the color of the leaves. If the yellow color was from a lack of iron or magnesium the veins would look different but the leaf is solid yellow. Beans still need P and K so where does that come from as the plant doesn't make it. It has been watered way too much as evidenced by the browning of the leaf tips but there is no drooping or wilting which usually follows after too much water. I will stick to my original post, too much water too fast and too often leached out the dubious benefits of the Miracle Grow fertilizer and the manure/soil mix.

 

[headfullofbees]

I have to disagree with everyone about beans not needing fertilizer. Beans make nitrogen from the air but when a bean plant is young, as in this case, the plant hasn't had time to make enough nitrogen to grow properly. This is evidenced by the color of the leaves. If the yellow color was from a lack of iron or magnesium the veins would look different but the leaf is solid yellow. Beans still need P and K so where does that come from as the plant doesn't make it. It has been watered way too much as evidenced by the browning of the leaf tips but there is no drooping or wilting which usually follows after too much water. I will stick to my original post, too much water too fast and too often leached out the dubious benefits of the Miracle Grow fertilizer and the manure/soil mix.

Here, it is recommended to dig in manure the autumn prior to planting, or, if not possible, to use a few handsful of chicken manure pellets a few weeks prior to planting.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

My first reaction to the yellow leaves was "Are they in shadow", but the brown leaf tips is a good spot that makes me think Chuck probably has it. The only good things I have heard about Miracle grow were from someone using it in a hydroponic system. guess it could wash out fairly easily

 

[NigelJ]

Beans make nitrogen from the air

No. Symbiotic bacteria living in nodules on the beans roots, take nitrogen from the atmosphere split the N2 and oxidise it to nitrate ions which can be used by the plant as a source of nitrogen for the production of amino and nucleic acids.
Other plants such as alder and sugar cane use different bacteria and fungi in a similar process.
Nitrogen capture, splitting and oxidation or reduction is an energy intensive complex process.