2021 Little Easy Bean Network - Bean Lovers Come Discover Something New !

[Zeedman]

The funny thing is about those seedheads/cotyledons or lack thereof, is some of the beans I started in pots had them too. You'd think starting mix would eliminate the possibility of those issues, minus perhaps the seeds being planted too deep, which I may have done here or there by accident. It wasn't that many compared to the total planted, but many more than I usually see. I wonder if older seed is more prone to this?

Seed age certainly is a factor. My seed saving rotation is based upon growing out new seed every 5 years, and circumstances often delay that schedule (a lot of 2012-2013 seed this year). While some of that older seed is still surprisingly viable, deformities and failure to emerge intact (such as broken cotyledons and missing sprouts) are common.

There is a particular failure I often see in older beans - the inability to sense gravity, and to emerge upright. The sprout will literally coil underground, seeking light. Old soybeans are very prone to this, even when started in pots with sterile medium. I almost never see this in newer seed. I found the need this year to replenish 2018 seed for the soybean Sakamotowase, due to low stock... it was refreshing to see a row with strong, even germination. If I ever get caught up on my grow outs, I hope that will become the norm.

 

[heirloomgal]

Forgive me please if I am way behind the curve on this, but I just discovered that North America actually hosts a significant pest which goes by the name 'bean seed fly'. @Zeedman you might be interested to know that it especially loves soybeans, and is a significant factor in poor soybean germination rates. @Artorius you were right to be suspicious that North America hosts this pest too. I believe that this may be the ultimate reason for the several badly germinated seed heads. It explains why even my 2020 seeds had a few heads like that, and why so few pole beans had problems - I germinated them mostly indoors. Some of the later indoor potted seeds, though in sterile mix, were still outside during the day where the flies could lay eggs in the top. This pest is so surprising to me, I've never heard of it. I may have inherited some of these as well, because of the new soil I imported this year. It is drawn to manured soil, which mine was.

The larvae eat the contents of either the seed, or seed halves, causing germ.failure, or they tunnel into the cotyledons themselves. They can still sometimes germinate but often die after.

I plucked out my last affected seedlings, some look worse than others, but I think they have all been affected by this bean seed fly. I also now think my soybean germination failures were also caused by this pest, though the heat may have caused it's own problems as well. There may be a relationship between the heat and this pests' reproduction. Well, I definitely learned something today.

I guess I can't complain too much, though the loss is disappointing, because there were only about a dozen, dozen and a half seedlings lost like this. But it's good to know for the future.

oxe

 

[flowerbug]

Forgive me please if I am way behind the curve on this, but I just discovered that North America actually hosts a significant pest which goes by the name 'bean seed fly'. @Zeedman you might be interested to know that it especially loves soybeans, and is a significant factor in poor soybean germination rates. @Artorius you were right to be suspicious that North America hosts this pest too. I believe that this may be the ultimate reason for the several badly germinated seed heads. It explains why even my 2020 seeds had a few heads like that, and why so few pole beans had problems - I germinated them mostly indoors. Some of the later indoor potted seeds, though in sterile mix, were still outside during the day where the flies could lay eggs in the top. This pest is so surprising to me, I've never heard of it. I may have inherited some of these as well, because of the new soil I imported this year. It is drawn to manured soil, which mine was.

The larvae eat the contents of either the seed, or seed halves, causing germ.failure, or they tunnel into the cotyledons themselves. They can still sometimes germinate but often die after.

I plucked out my last affected seedlings, some look worse than others, but I think they have all been affected by this bean seed fly. I also now think my soybean germination failures were also caused by this pest, though the heat may have caused it's own problems as well. There may be a relationship between the heat and this pests' reproduction. Well, I definitely learned something today.

I guess I can't complain too much, though the loss is disappointing, because there were only about a dozen, dozen and a half seedlings lost like this. But it's good to know for the future.

View attachment 41474oxeView attachment 41475View attachment 41476

interesting pics and information, i can at least verify a part of the negative side of that as i rarely see that type of damage but also that i rarely have any kind of animal manure here (even composted) other than worm castings. this area grows a lot of beans and soybeans too so if these pests were a large population i'd see a hit on my seedlings and, well, i don't.

cutworms, animal damage, some rot from waterlogging at times, old seeds that fail are all things that do happen here at times, but not massive amounts that would make me change my ways.

 

[heirloomgal]

interesting pics and information, i can at least verify a part of the negative side of that as i rarely see that type of damage but also that i rarely have any kind of animal manure here (even composted) other than worm castings. this area grows a lot of beans and soybeans too so if these pests were a large population i'd see a hit on my seedlings and, well, i don't.

cutworms, animal damage, some rot from waterlogging at times, old seeds that fail are all things that do happen here at times, but not massive amounts that would make me change my ways

Another unusual tidbit on this fly is that it doesn't usually affect whole crops, even the published papers I've briefly looked over says the % they take down is small relative to the population planted. But I'm guessing on a large field scale it adds up, so they've looked into its study.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

The offsite where I have my deer fence where I grew pole beans and zinnias last year. The fellow that owns the property has been calling my bean growing project "Bean Acres". I messaged him a couple days ago that I would come out Saturday and mow the grass inside "Bean Acres". Unknown to me his wife made up a sign last fall to put over the top of the west entry gate. So when I came out with my trailer and lawn mower and got out of my van to open the gate to the fence. I noticed something up on top of the gate. I thought it was very nice of them that they made up this sign. It really made me feel like one of their family. First photo is a refresher photo what my Bean Acres fenced in area looks like. Second photo is the "Bean Acres" sign they made up.

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That fence is perfect! I make a suggestion for long into the future....Go ahead and spray those posts with a boric acid solution that has a sticker/peneterator like gmo in it. Do this annually. Thank me in 10 years or so.

 

[Blue-Jay]

That fence is perfect! I make a suggestion for long into the future....Go ahead and spray those posts with a boric acid solution that has a sticker/peneterator like gmo in it. Do this annually. Thank me in 10 years or so.

What does the Boric Acid solution do to what they used to pressure treat the wood?

 

[Dirtmechanic]

What does the Boric Acid solution do to what they used to pressure treat the wood?

Nothing. Those are coppers like your organic garden antifungal spray for all practical purposes. But boric is an insecticide and a preservative that is not terrible, and is in the cheap laundry cleaner called borax. As the wood weathers it is a handy anti everything that will keep borer bees and ants and so forth from punking the wood as they have done my posts. The new preservatives are not impressing me. Over time it will work into the soil and that underground wood can ise the help also. I learned about it from LP smartpanel, a piece of which I have had laying in the woods for 6 years now. It is the new replacement for the OSB panel they had fail so horribly and so often decades ago. Sort of the oh yeah take that answer to all the lawsuits.

 

[TheFeatheredPhantom]

Please forgive me if I’m doing this wrong. Longtime gardener, but first time growing a network bean & I just joined this group & definitely still learning.
My question is regarding the Tennessee Greenpod I’m currently growing. Said it’s a bush bean, but is starting to look more pole beanish. Is this normal? Should I add some sort of support for them? They look great though & I’m so excited to be a part of this!

 

[Blue-Jay]

Please forgive me if I’m doing this wrong. Longtime gardener, but first time growing a network bean & I just joined this group & definitely still learning.
My question is regarding the Tennessee Greenpod I’m currently growing. Said it’s a bush bean, but is starting to look more pole beanish. Is this normal? Should I add some sort of support for them? They look great though & I’m so excited to be a part of this!

Looks like the Tennessee Greenpod has crossed with something to give it the climbing habit which is dominant over true bush type which Tennessee Greenpod is. I would say at this point it is not Tennessee Greenpod anymore. You either have a semi runner which will climb on support or a pole bean. You can try to put up some type of pole support for those plants or just let them grow on the ground and and see how much of a vine they grow.

I'm just trying to identify who you are without using your actual name. Do you live in Lexington, Ky ?

 

[TheFeatheredPhantom]

I will put up something tomorrow for them to climb up & see what happens. Yes, I’m in Lexington my name is Lyla.