Dried Beans are a common addition to home gardens because beans are easy to grow and once dried can be stored for years. There are many different beans that taste great when dried and cooked. A few common examples in the U.S. are; Black, Pinto, Kidney, Lima, and Navy. Dried beans are harvested later in the season, since they are harvested for the seed and not the pod. The beans are ready for harvesting when they rattle in the dried pods and the plants have dried out and turned yellow. This happens late in the season, closer to fall.
Dried beans are planted in early spring, a few weeks after the last frost. For bush beans plant seeds an in. deep, 4 in. apart, in rows 2 ft. apart. For pole beans plant a group of seeds, typically 3 – 4, around a vertical pole for support. Water often and consistently. Keep the area weed free. Beans make their own nitrogen and are pretty drought tolerant once established. Fertilizers are only necessary if the plants turn yellow or look pitiful. When it is necessary to feed the plants extra nutrients, chose a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen.
Dried beans are harvested later in the season after the plants start to turn yellow and die back. The bean pods will dry out and the beans will rattle inside the dried pod when they are ready. Pull the plants out of the ground and hang upside down for a few days. Bean pods can be split open by hand to remove the beans. Another option is to take the dried pods, trim them, bag them up, and shake it around until the beans come out. Store your beans in airtight containers for longer term storage.
Anthracnose is fungal and attacks many types of plants especially vegetable plants. It causes brown, black, purple, and rust colored spots to appear on leaves and stems. It is often spread in rainy moist environments. Prevent by removing infected plants and choosing disease resistant varieties. Water at the base of the plants only and provide good air circulation. Practice crop rotation.
Powdery Mildew causes a white, powdery growth to form on the plant leaves and can lead to discoloration and lower harvest yields. It is managed best with fungicide, applied regularly.
White Mold is the fungus, Sclerotinia, and can appear on many parts of the plant. Plants will wilt and die off slowly and patches of white mold will appear. It can reduce harvest amounts. To prevent spreading, destroy any infected plants and remove any infected mulch or soil from the growing area. Water at the plants bases, not overhead, and control weeds in the area. Use fungicides if necessary and do not allow the mold to overwinter In the soil or garden areas.
Aphid nymphs and adults like to suck on plant juices, attack plant leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruits, and the roots of many vegetable plants, including beans. To find them look for misshaped, curling, or yellowing leaves. Look for tiny eggs on the undersides of leaves. They can be one of many colors, such as, white, tan, red, yellow, brown, or black. They are tiny and usually cover large portions of the leaves and stems. To prevent them, you can plant companion plants such as herbs that may deter or distract them. You can try and knock them off by spraying the plants thoroughly with water. Neem oil, insect soaps, cayenne pepper spray, a dusting of flour, and Diatomaceous Earth are all effective against aphids.
Beetles come in different types. Besides causing damage to your plants beetles can also spread diseases. To prevent them, use sticky traps, hand pick, create traps for them, companion plant with plants that deter them, or try row covers.
Cutworms cut stems of plants off at their base and they love a new transplant. Coffee grounds, egg shells, and diatomaceous earth are helpful when spread around plant bases and stems. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or another natural insecticide can be used in extreme cases. You can also hand pick them at night every few days to lower their numbers.
Leaf Hoppers are known to carry a harmful virus called curly top, and it can impact beets and other vegetables. Leaf hoppers like to suck on the juices of host plants causing the plants to become yellow and look diseased. Infected plants will likely die and the virus can overwinter and spread again the next year. The best way to avoid this virus is to plant disease resistant varieties. Insecticides may prove beneficial if applied early before they find a host and then regularly after. Diatomaceous earth and insecticidal soap may also be effective preventatives.
Root-Knot Nematodes If Plants look wilted and genuinely unhealthy, pull up one plant and check for root knots. Remove all diseased plants form the garden. Remove any soil in the affected area. Replace plants with black eyed pea varieties that are resistant to Root knot, Mississippi Purple, Mississippi Silver, Clemson Purple, and Colossus are a few options.
Snails and Slugs feed on all parts of green bean plants and create shot holes, injure buds, and damage tissues of the plant. Cutting back plants annually and granular snail and slug bait treatments are somewhat effective at preventing these pests.
White Flies create sticky honeydew residue on leaves as they feed and this can cause mold to form. It can also stunt seedlings and transplants depriving them of nutrients. Neem oil is an effective preventative.
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