Help with my broad beans

Same problem here. Used the washing up liquid diluted down and seemed to work however all my plants are now black and can not seem to find any fly's.

I do not know if I need to dig them up or if they will recover at all.

It's a shame as first time for broad bean and was looking forward to eating.

I planted one lot of beans out quite early and they escaped the blackfly.  I just nipped the tops out when it was obvious there would be no more flowers.  The second, later lot are covered in blackfly.  Admittedly our beans were over earlier than other peoples but at least we got them.

Just an update on my Broad Beans. 

The black fly were so disgusting I didn't want to even walk near them, and then there were masses and masses of cardinal beetles, crawling all over them and mating like mad.  Guess what?  Every black fly gone, and I even harvested enough (admittedly small though very sweet) to feed about 6 people. 

I you can bear to leave it nature will often sort things out, its just that it doesn't always fit in with our own idea of what is a suitable time scale.

Sue

Quote from: beth123 on July 16, 2010, 06:38

Hi there

I've had loads of problems this year with my broad beans and they seam to be never ending.  I've finally got a few growing but now they've started to turn black.  Does anyone know what could be causing this?  I've had a big black fly problem but sorted them out using washing-up liquid, could this be connected?   

If you are saying that the leaves now have a black deposit instead of blackfly I'm thinking it could be sooty mould, which grows on the honeydew secreted by the aphids.

If the aphids have now gone the sooty mould should also disappear soon. Don't think the washing up liquid would have harmed them unless you put it on neat!

I'm with you JayG ..... Sooty Mould (and no sign of Sweep!)

It's very sticky stuff and quite hard to revove. I think my 2nd and third BB had the same. 
Well... it's been a good year for blackfly  after a poor start.

My first lot of broad beans were absolutley beautiful and prolific...I planted them out on Good Friday.

The second lot I planted about 3-4 weeks later...haven't done so well at all...adn blackfly jsut started as they were coming to end...but oncly about half to two thirds of the yield of the first planting.

Better some than none. 

But I do know what you mean. I planted 3 lots. The first were fabulous and then the blackfly arrived. Hardly a sausage bean from the rest. 

Terrible year.  All . Foot Rot and Stem Rot according to the book. I have had a total of 300g poor quality beans off 80 plants, or a single meal for four. Glad it's not just me.

oh dear gremlin...and learner too.Luckily I really went for it with the first sowing..got at least 20 pounds of beans....
Will definitely plant out early again next year.Another lesson learned!I agree peas have been wonderful.....