My pole beans started out ok. They have climbed 7 feet tall already. However I noticed my beans leaves getting a lot smaller as they climb up. And the leaves are curl downwards. Is it some kind of disease, or lack of fertilizer/ nutrients, or because of rain we have recently?
thats normal for them. after 6ft they slow down growth vine/ leaf growth.
Thanks Steve for the input. the leaves do not look healthy. Some leaves only dime size on the top while the ones on bottom are hand size. Should I give them some fertilizers?
The leaves will enlarge as the plant continues to grow upward
but the lower leaves will always be somewhat larger…
Mature bean leaves readily wilt in any kind of heat and that is OK
until the leaf edges turn brown, that indicates the need for more watering.
Too much fertilizer may cause extra vigor at the expense of blooms and beans.
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I will take a picture that I think you might be able to see what I was worried about
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The pole beans I grow look pretty similar from the ground up to 20’ tall- but it might depend on the bean you are growing. As others said some daytime wilting is pretty normal on hot days particularly if it’s dry outside.
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It is not wilt, it is that the leaves grow smaller and smaller as they climb. Also looks less healthy
My pole beans do the same. Large leaves at base of ground then they climb up and the leaves are tiny and very far apart. As the season goes on, these leaves up high get much larger . First time I grew these heirloom pole beans I panicked too as the top 3/4 looked sickly the leaves were so small. Give them time and you will be surprised as the season progresses. I enjoy mine so much I gave up growing bush beans and save seed every year on my heirloom pole beans. With the high seed prices this year (wow did seeds go up in price!) it sure pays to save your own seed and easy to do with beans.
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sure saves the back compared to bush beans and takes alot less space. 6 plants give me all the beans we need and i even give some to my brother and the in- laws.
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Yeap, exactly the same symptom , i am relaxed to hear it just a stage of growth and it will getting better.
I installed 8’ tall 10’ long bean trellis. The champion climber has almost reached the top Do you usually cut the tip off at this point? Related question is that I heard ploe beans need to be pruned in order to be productive. Do you usually prune the beans?
ive never pruned mine other than tip them once they top the trellis.
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We have a 7-foot trellis and just let the pole beans go sideways and tangle around the trellis top.
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Once the plants are tipped, they start to grow side branches and set beans on each side branches
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I have never tipped them. When they hit the top of my wire trellis they grow a foot higher and the new growth will flop down due to weight. Any new growth after that twines itself together and the height issue seems to take care of itself.
Mine are a wide italian heirloom bean saved from some Italian immigrants to Racine WI.
These beans are now grown in a community garden there. Someone shared seed with me and I have grown them the past two years.
The yield is spectacular! A 6’ row in my garden gives me more than we can eat. We share with some of the older people in our neighborhood who can no longer garden due to age. We also freeze a lot of them.
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Mine are Romano type of beans. I love its meaty taste. If you don’t mind share I can swap Golden Marie pole bean with you
i grew venice yellow pole beans the last 3 years. they were very good and tender. im growing a purple one this year. dont remember the name. came from Johnnys.
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I grow three types of pole beans this year, I want to compare the flavor. Besides the Golden Marie I also grow Roma , and wax bean from a friend.
I actually have second trellis to grow yard long beans which I don’t consider it as green beans. They are red and pale green😜. I also grow three types of yard long beans to compare flavor and textures.
I fresh eat some green bean but mostly green beans and tardlong beans I dry and store them for later use. Dried bean pods are very tasty cooked with meat, stew or in casserole
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IL847:
Mine are a Roma/Romano type too. Here are photos of my plants taken 2 years ago. I always save enough seed for 2 years in case I have a crop failure one year. I gave a lot of seed away to family members to try them last year. I still have seed left that is from 2019 or 2020 that I collected.
Since you already have a flat italian bean selection, not sure if mine is different from yours or not but they did originate from Italian immigrants who settled in Racine WI who brought the seed with them.
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Paul, these beans are look like the ones I buy from the grocery store. Large size and flat. I bet they tasted amazing too. Once my pole beans start to produce. I will post a picture so we can compare the notes
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Rattke snake? It has purple strips. Post a picture once you harvested them
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