my green bean leaves are disappearing!

[mradam]

My green beans are about 12-14 inches tall. They had some big leaves the other day, but today the top leaves(some of the really big ones) are completely missing. Some of the plants are missing almost all of their leaves.

They just started to flower. I haven't seen holes in any of the leaves left, and I can't find any bugs, worms, or critters on or around the plants. No other plants in my garden have been affected.

What could this be? Bugs, disease? I'm at a loss here.

Thanks for any help!

Adam

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Any other evidence?

I'm wondering if it could be deer?

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Birds, rabbits, squirrels and deer.

Any of these could be a problem.

Blood meal works well to keep rabbits, deer and (sometimes) squirrels away. Garlic, onion and pepper spray works well for most leaf munching insects.

 

[simple life]

My chickens at all the leaves off of mine but left the rest of the plant Do you have any chickens on your property?

 

[mradam]

No, there wasn't really any other evidence there. Only insect I ever see back there is the larger black ants, and they're never on the plants.

It started with only the TOP leaves missing, which, to me, rules out small animals(rabbits and squirrels), but now I don't know.

Deer it can't be, this garden is fenced, and is inside a bigger fenced field. No deer seen anywhere around here. No tracks.

I have chickens, but they are in an enclosed run(sides AND top secured) 600 feet way.

I'll try and post again with pics when the sun comes up. They are flowering now, but I wouldn't think they will survive long with no leaves at all.

Adam

 

[patandchickens]

Deer can jump about 6-7' and do not necessarily leave tracks on a lawn or, in some conditions, on dirt; but if nobody has ever seen any in your area, I'm willing to believe it's probably squirrels or bunnies or the like, instead. They'll stand up on their hindlegs and even pull the top of the plant over a bit to get the tenderest new growth.

Sprinkle some fine sand or flour in a reasonable depth layer around the plants on a night when no rain is scheduled. For several feet around the plants. Then the next morning, if new leaves are missing but there are no tracks, it was some sort of insect that none of us are thinking of; and if there are tracks, you'll be able to see whose.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[DrakeMaiden]

So at first it was the top leaves missing, but now there are no leaves at all?

This damage is happening at night?

 

[mradam]

I can try the flour idea, but not until the weekend... rain coming tonight. I have to think that the leaves are disappearing either in the early morning or in the night, I can't ever find anything in the afternoon evening that could cause it (insects, animals, etc).

And, yes, all the top leaves disappeared first. One night everything was there, and the next night ALL the top leaves were completely gone. Here are some pics:







I also noticed some of my cucumber leaves missing:



Rabbits, maybe?

Adam

 

[DrakeMaiden]

They all look sheared off at about the same height. That, to me, says a grazing animal that would be about that tall. I've never seen rabbit damage, but it seems to me that the animal eating your crops is probably taller than a rabbit.

(Waiting to see what Pat says)

 

[Rosalind]

I have the same exact problem and caught the walking hassenpfeffer in the act.

Pity, Mr. Cottontail is well aware that he is faster than the dog.