[Zippy]

Is it possible you have scorched the leaves with a chemical feed?

[Livinhope]

I haven't fed them.

[Zippy]

Did you plant them over a veg waste trough built up over last winter or are they growing in dry ground?  Also it has been colder than normal this year and a lot of RBs are showing yellowing due to cold this year.

I have taken to digging a winter trough and building up a layer of rotting veg which then gets filled in with soil and the RBs planted into that so the ground never dries out and there is a plentiful supply of organic matter at the plant roots (I personally plant in a circle of 5 plants so the trough is a circular pit).

Then I sink a large pot in the centre of the planting and water in that rather than watering the actual plants (apart from the initial puddling). This ensures water is at the roots rather than evaporating on the surface.

Thirdly I drop comfrey leaves into the watering pot so each watering is in fact a mini feed.

My plants are not showing the same yellowing and I'm sure its down to preparation and organic methods that has made the difference.

[mumofstig]

but that wouldn't have made any difference to what is biting into the stems would it zippy 

All I can suggest is that you try again, sometimes these things just happen and you never know what it is. Perhaps what was biting has now gone from being a biting crawly thingy to being a flying thingy and won't bother a later sowing
Unless it was slugs? and you know the answer for that 

[Livinhope]

Definitely not slugs, they were 'discouraged' from the very start.  The beans are planted in ground which has been uncultivated for two years.  A couple of months before we planted them we put a covering of well composted stuff on the ground and left it there until we dug it in and planted the beans.  We also put a very light sprinkling of Growmore on which was also dug well in. 

It could have been a cold night I suppose because our whole allotment site seems to vary temperature wise.  It's on a slope and the top plots potatoes missed the frost but we seems to be in a frost hollow and us lot down the bottom got caught.

I'm going to put some more beans in the greenhouse and hope they catch up.

[mumofstig]

good luck

[Zippy]

but that wouldn't have made any difference to what is biting into the stems would it zippy

 

No  :blink:

[Yorkie]

I have got some Sybol (now withdrawn I believe) so if I bring on some more a bit quick I'll try a little of that.

Active ingredient is bifenthrin: can only be sold / purchased up till 30 May 2010.  Can only be stored and/or used up till 30 May 2011.  Illegal to use or store beyond that date.