Your comments and tips

02 Feb 18, Dale (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I have recently planted climbing beans. but am having major problems with grasshoppers and leafhoppers, They aren't giving the seedlings a chance.. I have tried a couple of natural sprays but nothing is working,Today I even put plain flour over all things with leaves-still waiting on that one..ha ha . I have been squashing them too -yuck I have even planted flowers,.and coriander . They are loving the marigolds though... Also my kale is all but skeletons HELP

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05 Feb 18, Darren (Australia - arid climate)

Have you tried covering up the plants? Alternatively, apparently a yellow bucket of water attracts them. You could also try to attract birds to your garden. They will prey on the grasshoppers.

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07 Feb 18, Dale (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Thanks Darren for the reply.Yes I have been covering some plants with cheap bird netting but not beans. The moths can easily lay eggs on the netting if veggies are touching the netting. Also when I lift off the netting grasshoppers do hurry in...The yellow (huge horse bucket) is in the patch now. Just hope no good insects land in the drink...!!! We have peacocks,turkeys ,wild brush turkeys and goats free ranging,so all our veggie patches have to to be well meshed and chicken wired everywhere. Blessings to you and thanks a ton for info..

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05 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Maybe time to cover with some bird netting. Make a frame and cover with bird netting. Easy to lift on and off. Or try some wire netting with shade cloth over the top. Like an inverted U. I'm about to do this for dwarf beans - to stop the bean fly in Autumn.

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07 Feb 18, Dale (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Thanks Mike for your tips. Can you cover climbing beans using inverted U method? Also, do the bees need to pollinate bean flowers? I am interested in making the cover for dwarf beans,so can you explain a little more on how to make cover.(as I am not very good with making things).Blessings to you and thank you for the handy ideas.

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13 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

To make a U cover (better description is an n shape) for climbing beans would be quite a job and probably expensive if you don't have the materials around the yard now. We had climbing bean at the Men's Shed over 8' tall. Beans don't need bees. For dwarf beans you could go to Bunnings and buy a roll of wire netting (dog mesh or similar) - I think they do 5 M rolls. 1200mm or 1500 mm high would be better. Make a shape like a small n - 1200 mm 400 up each side and 400 across the top. With the 1500 mm 500 up each side and 500 across the top. Cover with 50 or 70% shade cloth - ($5/mtr Bunnings). Shade cloth is 1800mm wide - so put that over the top and lay some wood posts or what ever along the cloth on the ground - also put a piece of tin or wood on the end to stop them going in that way. My plants are growing pretty good - will be interesting to see if they flower soon. My tunnel is a little small.

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17 Jun 18, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Mike thanks for pointing out that beans don't need bees. I'm a fairly inexperienced gardener - try and try again, this time I seem to be a little more successful - and what I have found (in my previous attempts at vegue growing) is that just as I think I'm home and hosed, something happens: grasshoppers turn up - party time - something gets my tomatoes, tomatoes get what I have learned us blossom rot, leaves turn yellow - and so on= kaput! I also am never sure as to whether I am giving too little or too much water. At times the soil on top looks well-watered but if I check I find the soil is not so moist underneath. Any advise/suggestions appreciated.

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03 Mar 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I took the tunnel and shade cloth off about 2 weeks ago as the plants were a little spindly. The have grown well and are now flowering. The bean fly hasn't attacked them -- yet ???. When I plant beans now (seedlings - March) they are always attacked by bean fly.

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16 Jan 18, Colleen Middleton (New Zealand - temperate climate)

How many years will runner beans regrow for, before having to replant them? I am having a very good yield in their second season...they did take a long time to sprout initially ...possibly due to a cooler than usual early to mid spring.

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07 Jan 18, Maurice (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Bumblebees nipping off scarlet runner bean flowers. One writer suggested sugar syrup what quantities and how often do you spray them. Otherwise any other suggestions would be appreciated. .

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