Green bean issues

There is something in my yard/area that keeps eating my green bean plants. I have failed at growing them the past several years. The first year I tried, I planted a bush bean variety and the next day, the plants had no leaves left, just the 'exoskeleton'. (I don't recall what type of bean that was) Subsequent years, not as extreme, but they still got attacked by something. I had some success with Kentucky Wonder Beans grown in a pot on my patio, not in the garden. This year, I started Blue Lake green beans, and when transplanted, they got ate up too. Had to pull them before whatever got them spread to the snap peas in the garden. Seed came from Baker Creek, so I have confidence in the seed.

What is your favorite green bean to grow? I'm looking for fresh eating as well as preserving. What varieties do you find to be most pest resistant? And do you prefer bush bean or runners?

Comments

  • Ruth Ann Reyes
    Ruth Ann Reyes Posts: 577 admin

    What zone are you in? I've had bountiful success growing and canning this variety https://www.seedsavers.org/empress-organic-bean

  • H_D
    H_D Posts: 384 ✭✭✭

    any signs of snails or slugs?

  • Grammyprepper
    Grammyprepper Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    No, I haven't seen any slugs around, but doesn't mean they aren't around LOL!

    And I am 5B, Ruth, those Empress beans look fantastic!

    I've never tested my soil, but snap peas, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and marigolds and sunflower have all grown well in this same plot.

  • cre8tiv369
    cre8tiv369 Posts: 67 ✭✭✭

    Too hard to figure out based on the information (or lack of). Could be a mouse, a rat, an insect, a shrew, a crazy cat, a squirrel, a possum, etc. Until you figure out what it is, you will continue to have the problem (and that onus is on you to put in the time and do the sleuthing). I recommend a glue trap or two and a flashlight with some evening visits. You already know what kind of bait to use so it should be easy.


    Happy hunting.

  • Grammyprepper
    Grammyprepper Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    So I just came across this blog post by my friend Laurie Neverman. I think my problem is based on starting seed indoors rather than direct sowing, at least partly. Although, I start my snap peas indoors (and also direct sow seed for succession harvesting).


    https://commonsensehome.com/grow-pole-beans/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=June08019

  • Karyn Pennington
    Karyn Pennington Posts: 71 ✭✭✭

    I agree that beans should be direct sown and not transplanted. The soil also needs to be warmed up quite a bit too. I'm in 6b and will be starting from seed this weekend. I have a problem with robins stealing my seeds (not necessarily, bean seeds, but many), and then we often find evidence of bunnies. You will need to determine what/who it is before you can "deter" it. Crushed eggshells around the base would deter slugs. Crushed/powdered red pepper might deter small rodents like chipmunks or bunnies. Good luck!

    My favorite beans are white half-runners. Oh my goodness, In the heat of summer, my husband and I will have a meal of white half-runners with fresh onions and tomatoes! They've very smooth and buttery. Mostly found in the south, but they grow well in SE MI. That being said, I do plant other varieties, like Kentucky Wonder, and this year I'm doing a purple variety and a scarlet runner that I'll plant to climb near my Clematis on the side flower garden.