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Vegetable Gardening

My bean plants are suddenly turning white!

10 years ago

Hello all! I recently (as in Sunday) transplanted my bush beans to a container garden outdoors. They are just over 7 weeks old and were doing very well--even had some tiny beans already! I hardened them off for a few afternoons last week before transplanting. The temperature has been very nice, not dropping below 50 at night or above 70 during the day, and they've had plenty of water. But they seem to be dying. I've attached a photo. One plant in particular seems to have it bad; the leaves are practically bleached out and very droopy, and I can see it happening on another one, too. It isn't like a mildew that's on the surface of the leaf; it seems to be the leaf itself turning white. Does anybody have any ideas what it could be? They were doing so well, I don't want to lose them! Thanks in advance.

Comments (7)

edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
10 years ago
The only thing I can think of is that they weren't hardened off enough. The bean leaves must be fragile. Looks like environmental (sun/wind/temp) stress.
digdirt2
10 years ago
Agree that it is all environmental damage - sun, wind, and cool temps. In most of zone 5 it is far too early for beans. Beans are a warm weather crop and i can't plant them out for another week or 2 even in my zone.

Dave
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fliptx Ah, I see. If it tickles your fancy, lettuce can grow in partial shade, too. It's a good choice to plant before and after beans during cooler weather. I got hooked on homegrown lettuce because it's tastier, crisper and yet more tender than anything I've been able to buy at the market. They all seem "tough" and tasteless to me now. And it's easy to grow. I keep a large container of it on the back deck that's shaded part of the day and just keep scattering seed in it as the older lettuce gets used up or conks out because of the heat. I did buy some Jericho romaine and Merlot Batavian seeds for this spring that can stand more heat and light. Given your small gardening space, if you have some trellis material, you might give pole beans a go for their heartier bean taste and greater productivity than bush beans. They're also easier to pick! This year I'm trying the pole bean linked below for the first time, but there are many time-tested pole bean varieties that are delicious. Here is a link that might be useful: French Bean Smeraldo
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Like others say, trellis will work for pole beans and can be made free-standing. Last year I grew my climbing beans up some plastic trellis that I got for free(about 2 inch mesh, I think) that I threaded onto long bamboo stakes. I had a stake at either end, and then stakes in the middle about every 2 feet. By the end of the season it was a bit top-heavy because the bamboo has some flex in it, so I may use heavier stakes next time and possibly tie the trellis on with garden twine or light wire. But it definitely works.
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Besides cut worms - the top of the plant would be lying there on the soil - another possibility is damp-off (see FAQ). You'd see a dark, narrow pinched in band on the stem just at or just above the soil line the soil line. Then there is root rot from over-watering or excess fertilizer since the carrots and spinach have much different nutrient needs than beans. They need lots of nitrogen while beans will not tolerate much of it. Dave
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I would guess a mineral deficiency rather than a bacteria or virus. Phosphorus deficiency can cause purple leaves, but cold soil temps can do the same. If it's just cold soil, they should recover. They may have gotten chilled in the rain.
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AiliDeSpain
10 years ago
Agree sun damage. Some of my basil and peppers have it too.
itskatemoore
Original Author
10 years ago
Eek, not good. Is there anything I can do? Or have I pretty much ruined their chances?
AiliDeSpain
10 years ago
I think they will recover if they still have some healthy leaves and it looks like they do.
ltilton
10 years ago
If you have the space, you can start another batch direct-sown into the garden. Just in case.

If this batch recovers, you'll have a lot of beans.
HU-432354270
3 years ago
Mine are doing the same it’s not to much sun, there producing beans and than turning white and dieing, I dunno if it’s over watering or what, I have them in a green house kinda situatio, they die I plant more they produce again than do the same thing, I guess I’ll figure it out, unless it’s my soil? We’ll see

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