No beans or flowers what wrong

14 years ago

I planted kentucky wonder pole beans and they are now about 5 feet tall and they are showing no signs of flowers or beans what could be wrong. these are in pots and i have used miracle grow potting mix

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Comments (7)

digdirt2
14 years ago
The potting mix is too high in nitrogen for pole beans. It produces lots of plant but few beans. Beans, like other legumes just don't tolerate high levels of soil nitrogen as they have nitrogen-fixing bacteria within their tissues and draw what is needed from the air.

There is some truth to the old adage that you can grow pole beans on concrete. ;)

In some cases the plants will eventually adapt and produce some, especially in containers as the nitrogen depletes out of the container. Give them some time and no supplemental feeding and cross your fingers. Next year plant in a mix with no added fertilizers and supply just supplemental P and K.

Dave
homegardener2009
14 years ago
It seems a little early for pole beans in New Hampshire. They take about 2-2 1/2 months to start producing. When did you plant them? I'm not expecting mine to produce for about another month, though some of them have vined about 5 feet tall. So, there may not be anything wrong, just a matter of waiting.
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P POD
14 years ago
I just wanted to add to the above that KY Wonder is by no means an early cultivar. A good one, but not early.

Hope your Wonders end up producing well for you.
farmerdilla
14 years ago
Concur with home gardener. If Kentucky Wonders were producing at 5 ft, you would have problems. They have big vines. Patience is probably all thats necessary.
memysel9876
Original Author
14 years ago
i started them in early may inside and they have now been outside for about three weeks so i will just try and be patient a bit longer
digdirt2
14 years ago
So these were transplanted seedlings rather than direct seeded as is normally done, only in the ground for 3 weeks and they are already 5 feet tall? That is a very different situation. Details. Knew I should have asked questions!

Are they really 5 feet or is that just a guesstimate? How tall were they when transplanted? Have you been fertilizing them besides the MG mix?

Sorry but 5' tall Kentucky Wonders that were direct seeded in plain dirt should easily have bloomed some by now, sorry to disagree with farmerdilla. Ours are 6' tall and while the vines will easily reach 10 feet or more, we have been picking and canning beans all week and will be for weeks more.

But bean transplants, especially tall bean transplants, will be delayed by a good 2-3 weeks and the excess nitrogen situation will delay them further.

Dave
happyday
13 years ago
There may well be differences in growing conditions between Arkansas and New Hampshire.

Meanwhile I'm wondering if anyone else has forced bean flowering by applying phosphorus. I applied 10-54-10 two weeks ago to two month old, direct seeded vines, which had no flowers, and I now have more flowers than I've ever seen before and hundreds of small beans. They were due to flower eventually of course, but I've never seen flowering like this.

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No beans or flowers what wrong

Comments (7)

digdirt2

homegardener2009

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farmerdilla

memysel9876
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digdirt2

happyday

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No beans or flowers what wrong

Comments (7)

digdirt2

homegardener2009

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farmerdilla

memysel9876Original Author

digdirt2

happyday

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memysel9876
Original Author