Dang Pole beans....wondering whats wrong

[Jared77]

I can't seem to get them to grow very well. I put up 5 teepees of beans and the tallest vine on the pole is waist high and I'm 5'10". First time trying them and I figured with 5 teepees Id be swimming in beans. My wife and I LOVE fresh beans...can I get them do do anything? Nope. They are just stuck in slow gear. I can't find the soil summary I had done otherwise Id post what I got. They have a nice southern exposure, nothing to compete against, nothing shading them, so lots of sun. I just don't get it.

They look fine. Good overall color, leaf shape etc, just short. I thought I was SOO smart since the woodchucks eat the blossoms off the bush beans and all you have is a bush bean plant with no beans around here so I opted to go the pole bean route. They are Kentucky Wonders.

Planted them during the Memorial Day weekend so no threat of frost. Direct sowed them too. They germinated fine, and seemed to SSSSLLLLLOOOOWWWW down after that.

Sorry to rant just frustrated since everything else is doing so good....

 

[rebbetzin]

I realize we are in different climate zones, but my beans are not growing this year either! I planted them in late march, they have yet to reach knee high!! And It is probably too hot for them to blossom now. I am keeping them watered, and hope in the fall maybe if they are still alive, they will take off... anyhow that is my plan at the moment.

 

[lesa]

Very strange... Usually those Kentucky Wonders are fast growers... do you have chickens? You might try side dressing with some composted chicken poop. I planted mine in two different spots- one spot is doing okay, the other are going gangbusters. No flowers yet, on either. Perhaps a bit of patience would benefit??

 

[Collector]

Our pole beans are not doing well either, not sure why. We have planted 3 timesand still only have 1/2 of what we planted up and growing. And the bush beans, they are the worst.

 

[Jared77]

Thats what I thought about the Kentucky Wonders. I just figured they'd be taller by now I guess. Maybe some patience is in order. I expected them to be going gangbusters from everything I've read, maybe my expectations were too high. I know I've still got plenty of growing days left so maybe Ill be saturated with them later in the season. Thank you Lesa you are always the voice of reason.

 

[lesa]

I'll take some pics of mine today- and we can compare!!

 

[lesa]

Here are mine in two different locations- today....

And these are the bush bean-flowering at long last!

 

[hoodat]

Have any beans grown in that area in the last few years? It sounds as though you do not have the proper bacteria in your soil. Beans are not very good at using nitrogen from fertilizers. Instead they have made a deal with specialized bacteria which form nodules on the roots. The bacteria live in these nodules and actually take nitrogen from the air and feed it to the plant. The plant in turn feeds nutrients to the bacteria. A very cozy arrangement that allows both bacteria and beans to thrive. The bacteria and their cousins also break minerals loose from the soil for the beans.
You can buy bean innoculant in many garden stores or it can be had online. just google bean innoculant for suppliers. Be sure to get the right innoculant. Beans, peas, clover and garbanzos all work with different but related bacteria. It's best if the seeds are dusted with the innoculant at planting time by putting some innoculant and bean seeds in a paper bag and shaking them up together. If you neglect that the innoculant can be added later by digging a shallow trench just down to the first damp soil and sprinkling it in, then water it lightly. The bacteria will find the bean roots on its own. If beans have been grown succesfully in that area in the past chances are the bacteria is already present. They will last for quite a few years in soil that has enough humus even if no beans are grown there for a few years. They just sit and wait for the beans to show up.
In order for the proper bacteria to thrive there must be humus in the form of compost or raw manures with a lot of fiber such as horse, steer or rabbit manure. To see if the bacteria are present sacrifice one of the plants by pulling it up by the roots. There should be quite a few whitish nodules all over the roots. If you have no nodules they are not there. If you only have a few they are there but not thriving, probably because you don't have enough compost in your soil. Here's a good article on the subject:
http://compostings.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/inoculant-for-peas-and-beans/

 

[shadetech]

Hoodat Is it true that once introduced the inoculants and mycorrhiza remain in the soil a number of years if properly cared for? And is it possible to inoculate a small garden with a "cocktail" of these critters for the benifit of all?

 

[hoodat]

So long as the soil does not stay bone dry for an extended period of time (such as a full growing season) and there is at least some humus in the soil they will always be there once introduced. The population depends on the conditions, mainly food in the form of humus. Remember, there's no such thing as too much compost. Myocorzia are funguses and the spores are present almost everywhere, in the ground, on the surface and even in the air. The only thing required to get them growing is heat, moisture and humus or raw material like grass clippings that they can turn into humus. Bacteria can be a bit more finicky about conditions, that's why innoculant is a good idea for all legumes.