I live in a semi-rural area of the Sussex Weald.

I planted five runner beans in a tub on my patio last week. These were
young plants given to me by a friend and which had been started off in a
greenhouse. They'd spent a couple of days outdoors, in the shade, in their
seedling 'potlets' before I planted them in said tub, in the early evening
of Bank Holiday Monday last week. The tub is in a fairly exposed position
and receives essentially full sun.

On Tuesday evening, after what was a very bright sunny day, I noticed that
the plants each had some light-coloured patches on their leaves, which
looked like bleaching. It was even worse on Wednesday evening. By the
weekend, four of the five plants had completely collapsed and died, and the
fifth is only just hanging in there.

I'm not sure if the loss is due to chilly nights (as far as I know there
hasn't been any frost) or the strong sunlight. I thought beans were sun
lovers - would they be harmed by very strong sun?

Advice would be welcome!


--
Andy Clews University of Sussex Computing Service
(Remove DENTURES if replying by email)

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:142293

On Tuesday evening, after what was a very bright sunny day, I noticed that
the plants each had some light-coloured patches on their leaves, which
looked like bleaching. It was even worse on Wednesday evening. By the
weekend, four of the five plants had completely collapsed and died, and
the
fifth is only just hanging in there.
Andy Clews University of Sussex Computing Service

I think bleaching is a sign of suffering from the cold. It is pushing it a
bit getting runner beans out until the end of the month - particularly in an
exposed location. I've got some in a tub on a South facing drive, but they
are fairly well sheltered from the wind. I'm not putting out the rest of the
plants until the end of the month.
I suggest you wait until then and put some more in - after acclimatising
them first for a week.
--
Drakanthus.


(Spam filter: Include the word VB anywhere in the subject line or emails
will never reach me.)

Thus spake Drakanthus unto the assembled multitudes:

I think bleaching is a sign of suffering from the cold. It is pushing it a
bit getting runner beans out until the end of the month - particularly in an
exposed location. I've got some in a tub on a South facing drive, but they
are fairly well sheltered from the wind. I'm not putting out the rest of the
plants until the end of the month.
I suggest you wait until then and put some more in - after acclimatising
them first for a week.

Thanks, I'll do that. Less haste, more beans ;-)


--
Andy Clews University of Sussex Computing Service
(Remove DENTURES if replying by email)

On Tue, 13 May 2003 09:38:18 +0000 (UTC), Andy Clews
wrote:

They'd spent a couple of days outdoors, in the shade, in their
seedling 'potlets' before I planted them in said tub, in the early evening
of Bank Holiday Monday last week. The tub is in a fairly exposed position
and receives essentially full sun.

On Tuesday evening, after what was a very bright sunny day, I noticed that
the plants each had some light-coloured patches on their leaves, which
looked like bleaching. It was even worse on Wednesday evening.

I would say it was scorch. You had had them in the shade and then had
the bad luck to have strong sun on them on their first day in their
tub. They need acclimatising to sun as well as temperature. You are
not too late to sow some seeds directly into the tub and they will not
get that check.

Pam in Bristol