I planted some broad beans for the first time this year but most of the
plants developed black patches on the leaves and looked very unhealthy
indeed. It wasn't due to frost or anything like that, so I don't know what
caused it. Anyway, I decided to leave them alone to see what happened and to
my surprise they seemed to recover completely, put on good growth and even
flowered.

Now the flowers are withering away (sort of black and dead) with no signs of
any beans at all. I pressume the beans appear directly under the flowers?
Should I wait longer or just give up and cut them down?

Interestingly, one of the plants in the row is absolutely covered in black
fly but I left them alone to get on with it. I expected them to infest the
other plants too but they haven't!? (I left them alone because I'd given up
on a crop this year anyway).

Any advice?

Anne.

In article , anne
writes
I planted some broad beans for the first time this year but most of the
plants developed black patches on the leaves and looked very unhealthy
indeed.

They do that. It doesn't seem to hurt them. I've assumed it is a sort of
rust - I'd describe it as very dark brown rather than black

It wasn't due to frost or anything like that, so I don't know what
caused it. Anyway, I decided to leave them alone to see what happened and to
my surprise they seemed to recover completely, put on good growth and even
flowered.

Now the flowers are withering away (sort of black and dead) with no signs of
any beans at all. I pressume the beans appear directly under the flowers?

More or less.

Should I wait longer or just give up and cut them down?

Give them another fortnight.

Interestingly, one of the plants in the row is absolutely covered in black
fly but I left them alone to get on with it. I expected them to infest the
other plants too but they haven't!? (I left them alone because I'd given up
on a crop this year anyway).

Next year, take the tips out when the plants are tall enough or have
started flowering - the blackfly aim first for the tips.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"anne" wrote in message
...
I planted some broad beans for the first time this year but most of the
plants developed black patches on the leaves and looked very unhealthy
indeed. It wasn't due to frost or anything like that, so I don't know what
caused it. Anyway, I decided to leave them alone to see what happened and
to
my surprise they seemed to recover completely, put on good growth and even
flowered.

Now the flowers are withering away (sort of black and dead) with no signs
of
any beans at all. I pressume the beans appear directly under the flowers?
Should I wait longer or just give up and cut them down?

Interestingly, one of the plants in the row is absolutely covered in black
fly but I left them alone to get on with it. I expected them to infest the
other plants too but they haven't!? (I left them alone because I'd given
up
on a crop this year anyway).

Any advice?

Anne.

I nip them off when the blackfly show. Nip off the worst infected plant just
below the infestation, then nip the other plants to the same height. A
friend nips hers at waist height, but she is on the short side, this won't
work for everybody.

Steve

OK thanks Kay, I'll wait a bit longer :-)

Anne.

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , anne
writes
I planted some broad beans for the first time this year but most of the
plants developed black patches on the leaves and looked very unhealthy
indeed.

They do that. It doesn't seem to hurt them. I've assumed it is a sort of
rust - I'd describe it as very dark brown rather than black

It wasn't due to frost or anything like that, so I don't know what
caused it. Anyway, I decided to leave them alone to see what happened and
to
my surprise they seemed to recover completely, put on good growth and
even
flowered.

Now the flowers are withering away (sort of black and dead) with no signs
of
any beans at all. I pressume the beans appear directly under the flowers?

More or less.

Should I wait longer or just give up and cut them down?

Give them another fortnight.

Interestingly, one of the plants in the row is absolutely covered in
black
fly but I left them alone to get on with it. I expected them to infest
the
other plants too but they haven't!? (I left them alone because I'd given
up
on a crop this year anyway).

Next year, take the tips out when the plants are tall enough or have
started flowering - the blackfly aim first for the tips.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Kay Easton wrote:

: Next year, take the tips out when the plants are tall enough or have
: started flowering - the blackfly aim first for the tips.

I left most of my tips in - despite some warnings.

The aphids haven't spread downwards much yet.

I now have some of the tallest beans I've ever seen - I expect a storm
will knock them all over any day now... ;-)
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/

Kay Easton wrote:

: Next year, take the tips out when the plants are tall enough or have
: started flowering - the blackfly aim first for the tips.

I left most of my tips in - despite some warnings.

The aphids haven't spread downwards much yet.

I now have some of the tallest beans I've ever seen - I expect a storm
will knock them all over any day now... ;-)
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/

I nipped the tops off of mine as the first beans formed up. Then I
steamed the tops with a little butter, Lovely!

I have had a *few* blackfly since but they've been in very small patches
and have attacked the odd stem or bean.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com