[surbie100]

Any clue what's going on with my runners?

They are Aeron Purple Star, sown in MPC, grown on in composted stable manure which I have used on everything else. The leaves look weird - and the bean (there has only been one) is green not purple. Will they grow through it?

I haven't grown runners before, but one guy on the site has them too and has stopped by to let me know he thinks they look awful. 

[mumofstig]

The green pod is easily explained away, the parent plant had cross pollinated with a green runner bean, no problem!

The other plant looks like some kind of mutant or has a virus of some kind - I hope they're not all like that

 

Is the other guy growing the purple ones as well?

[Aunt Sally]

I agree with Mum'

I'd remove any plants that are growing with distorted leaves and bin them (don't compost).

The 'green' bean and its leaves look fine.

[Steveharford]

I was going to ask the same question Surbie. Mine vary in that some are green and some have purple edges but none have been purple all over. I was assuming that they might get fully purple as the season moves on.  I haven't had the strange leaf problem though.

[surbie100]

Mum, it's all of them apart from the one which refuses to grow bigger than 20ishcm. I only had 7 beans to start with.

Is a bit of a shame - perhaps the strain isn't as stable as Big Gee thought it was. Some of the leaves are normal, ie around the green bean, but most are like that.

The other guy is also growing Aeron Purple Star - I sent him the link!

Edit to add - I've had an email from Big Gee, who suggests it is aminopyralid because I mention horse manure. My other beans have no issues at all - wouldn't it show on them too? (I have 10 borlottis, 10 amythest dwarf bean, 10 minidor and 8 trail of tears, all in the same stuff) Am stumped.

[bravemurphy]

I sure am glad you mentioned this surbie as mine are exactly the same as yours and in stable manure they are firestorm.

[surbie100]

I've been in touch with the garden centre who say their supplier, who doesn't produce anything else, both sterilises and tests for aminopyralid. And that they are sure it's not the manure.

I'm sticking with a virus. Will see if taking off the affected leaves will work to begin with and will bin the plants otherwise. 

[Aunt Sally]

I'm sticking with virus which has come in on the seeds.  If it was aminopyralid the would all be suffering.

Remove, bin or burn so that the infection doesn't spread to other plot holders plants - probably spread by aphids.