I planted 4 or 5 rows of Tennessee Green Pod green beans back in April. The plants are about to begin flowering, but for about the last week or so, the very top leaves have begun to die. They simply wilt, dry up, and turn brown. The remainder of the affected plant appears to remain perfectly healthy. They have grown vigorously. I used plenty of cow manure early on - at planting actually. About 3 weeks ago, maybe 4, I fertilized lightly with 10-20-10 bagged fertilizer as this is new ground and very low in soil phosphorous. Had a few bug problems early on and dusted with Rotenone and some Sevin dust. Seemed to fix the bug problem, and I have not ruled out bugs altogether in this situation. It appears to me though that this is a nutrient deficiency; I just don't know which one. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks, Neal Mays

-- Neal Mays (mays@raptor.afsc.k12.ar.us), May 26, 2000

Answers

By the way, I'm in Arkansas

-- Neal Mays (mays@raptor.afsc.k12.ar.us), May 26, 2000.

Neal, I don't know what to tell you. If they are healthy, they will come right back. But, how's the precipitation lately? High heat and direct sun? Are you watering these at high noon and steaming the tops?

-- Rachel (rldk@hotmail.com), May 27, 2000.

Neal, this is a new one. Have you checked the leaves carefully top and undersides for pests? Any holes bored in the vines?

Otherwise, just doesn't sound like a typical bean disease. So I can only suggest maybe some sort of watering problem, or possibly mechanical damage. Are the ends of the plants getting whipped around by the wind? Is anything like this happening in other nearby plants, including weeds?

It would be a good idea to pull and destroy the vines as soon as production stops, sooner if the plants start showing more signs of problems. Ideally, don't grow legumes in the same area for 3-5 years in case this is some sort of disease.

This might be a nutrient problem, but it seems as though you've put plenty of fertilizer in your garden already. Since it is new ground, I'm sure there are some adjustments going on in the soil. But I don't know that I'd add anything else since you might not have the micro-organisms in place yet to deal with any more fertilizers. And remember, new gardens take time to develop. Next year should be better. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), May 27, 2000.

Neal, Could be early bacterial wilt disease caused by cucunber beetles. Bacterial wilt causes failure to thrive - foliage turns brown and just wilts away. You can test for this by snapping a bean stem in half. If the "bean fluid" forms a stringy substance when you pull the 2 halves apart, it is bacterial wilt, and there is nothing you can do for it except destroy the plants and make sure to plant them somewhere else next year. Hope this helps. Amy

-- Amy Frick (birdlegsamy@yahoo.com), May 04, 2001.

What you discribed has happened to my plants when they grew quickly in cool weather, then hot dry weather 'nipped' them back like yours. They later resprouted and grew just fine. How are yours doing now?

-- Thumper (slrldr@aol.com), May 06, 2001.