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New Brunswick

Each year something eats the tiny new bean leaves just as they emerge from the seed, leaving just the stem and two bean halves. I have dusted with Rotenone but a lot of plants are eaten before I can get them dusted....right at ground leval. Any idea what this pest is? I am tempted to grow them in peat pots and set them out.

4/5/2005 11:00:12 PM

Mill Creek West by god Virginia

ide say there slugs or snails i use to have the same problem until i started putting out snail be gone or bug getta both are easy to find alot of people use stale beer in plates to attract them,i also learned that for beans if youre growing for home use aka small garden then cover it in black plastic cut holes in it for beans and they will grow wild no snails no weeding win win! just my thoughts and experience hope it helps keith

4/6/2005 2:09:57 AM

Cologne / Germany

Birds often pick at young leaves about this time of the year. They managed to ruin my complete set of cabbage plants in the past. Put a wire, garden fleece or something so birds cannot reach your little plants.

4/6/2005 5:17:37 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

Mice can do that as well.
Traditionally pea seeds were soaked in parafin before sowing here to prevent this.

4/6/2005 7:04:36 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Cut worms.....

4/6/2005 9:15:45 AM

Follansbee, Wv

Sometimes the cots will rot off if planted too deep, and if they stay too wet, leaving only a stem. If that's not the case, I have to agree with Shannon, cut worms.

4/6/2005 4:56:51 PM

New Brunswick

Well I talked to a local Co-op store manager and he says that changing the planting time seems to be the cure. He says the same thing happened to him each year and that there is some insect or bug that hits at the same time each year and that planting a week or so earlier or later than usual seemed to be the answer. I have considered floating row covers, or possibly using the white plastic that some of our neighbours roll up their hay in....the black plastic idea just might work too....though since I grow several rows of beans, cutting all those "bean holes" would be quite tedious...let alone hard on the back and knees. We have all but ruled out cutworms since the damage occurs when the leaves just start to emerge from the seed. The stem then pops up minus the leaves. Of course, I replant between the damaged plants. This year, I am planting at least a week earlier than usual (taking a chance on the frost) to see what happens...with peat pots to replant in, as a backup.

4/7/2005 3:06:12 PM