My 2 week old beans are dying. I pulled one up and the stem was very mushy. I opened it up a gagged to see tiny worms that look like small maggots crawling around inside.

I have treated them with insecticide. Are they doomed? What has gotten ahold of them? Should I rip them out and start over? How do I prevent it from happening again? Will it spread to my other veggies?

I am so depressed. Please help!

Thanks,

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), May 22, 1999

Answers

Also, it looks like something has been chewing on the leaves. My cukes are looking pretty bad, by the peas (right next door) are fine.

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), May 22, 1999.

Roland, you're going to have to be strong. Old Git galloping to the rescue here. Okay, shuffling. I hate to tell you, but I think you've got Epilachna varivestis. That is, your beans have them. It's mostly known as Mexican bean beetle and you can find pictures of the larvae by clicking on the appropriate link at this site:

http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/AG295/html/Plate_Index.html

If E. varivestis isn't the culprit, then you can check the other bean pest links. If you do have the MBB, then you might search the Web on that, along with "organic controls." Hot pepper spray might not work with these guys. (Maniacal laughter.)

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 22, 1999.

Roland, my friend...

Your beans have stem borers (assuming these are light creamy white colored critters).

Not all the plants will be infected. If it is just a few, you can pull the plants and burn or mash (or otherwise make sure the critters never make it to adulthood) -- this will require inspecting each plant, though....which only works if you have a row or small patch. Too much if you're looking at a couple acres of beans. After pulling plants, put a new seed in the spot (your beans are only separated by two weeks, no biggie).

You didn't indicate what type of insecticide you used -- however, unless it is systemic (goes through the plant via roots to leaves), the borers are probably protected by the stem....so won't do much good overall. BTW, you also probably wouldn't want to eat beans from plants that have systemic insecticide in them! After planting new seeds, you might dust lightly around them with rotenone/pyrethrin to discourage borer moths from laying eggs in your new beans....but it may not make any difference, since the moths only lay at specific times of year; depends on area, other nearby host crops, etc.

If damage is only a small percentage of your plants (say, 10-12%), it's no biggie either -- commercial growers lost typically 14% of crop to insects before pesticides came into great use....and now lose about 14% of their crop to critters because pests are resistant to pesticides. If your losses are similar, even though it's really annoying, it's consistent with what you can expect.

Next year, plant 15% more than you think you will need -- or, this year, if you've still got seeds. In the olden days, there was a saying: "Plant one bean seed for the mouse, one bean for the wind, and one for me".....so even with a 66% failure rate, you'd have enough to feed the family.

Also, this fall, you'd do well to incorporate more organic materials (manure, grass clippings, leaves, etc) into the garden soil before you put it to bed -- better nutrition makes plants healthier and more resistant to bugs!

Anita Evangelista

-- Anita Evangelista (ale@townsqr.com), May 22, 1999.

Do not despair. THat same site shoul dget you to cuke pests too. I don't grow cukes but I seem to remember MBBs may go for them too. Or it could be something else... If you go to the Food archives and search on "lettuce," you'll come up with a thread which, I believe, addresses some cucumber problems and gives an Aggie site.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 22, 1999.

old git should have her own cable access show......

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), May 22, 1999.

Roland, it could be corn earworm too. Yes, I know, beans, but they like beans as well as corn. I think you'll find them listed on that NCSU or Aggie site too.

Zoobie, thanks for the compliment--it was VERY kind of you to say so--but it wouldn't be a good idea, I'm afraid. I have this snotty English acccent and it puts off some people. That was part of the feedback from when I did a monthly "consumer alert" thingie for a public TV station. Also, there are comprehension problems. For instance, around here (NC) when I say "bird," people think I'm saying, "bud"; such miscommunication tends to complicate conversations. ("I heard the most beautiful bud outside my window this morning." "She had a lovely pull ring." "Could you tell me what this fun is?") I try to enunciate more clearly and end up sounding snottier than ever. As I get older I get more eccentric and this, combined with the accent, tends to intimidate. Well, at least I hope it does. (Another bout of maniacal laughter.)

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 22, 1999.

O.K....I'm calmer now :-)

Took a closer look. I see no evidence of bugs ON the plants, although some of the leaves look chewed up. I pulled out an affected plant and there are small holes in the stem (the portion below the ground) and the tiny, white maggotty looking creaturea are having a field day. I just have a small garden, but it looks like 50% of beans are gone. Some had just started srpouting and had no leaves yet.

I have more bean seeds, but am afraid to plant them and have the same thing happed. Should I pull them all up and treat the soil before replanting? Are hybrids more resistant to pests? (Mine are non-hybrid).

What to do??? (Thanks for the feedback!)

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), May 22, 1999.

Roland

Since you're nottelling@nowhere I don't know if you have enough growing season left to replant. I think that would be my solution, 'tho. I think the quote "one for the mouse, one for the wind, and one for me" is very apt. I tend to overplant as well because there is always some attrition going on. (That is unless it's some crop that I planted at someone else's urging and that I don't want to have to tend to, then I let it DIE-cue OG's maniacal laughter!)

Hang in there, my beanie buddy, you will have beans yet. Linda

PS to Old Git (respectfully said, of course) I'm so excited to have more info about you. Now, when I read your posts I will put English on everything you say. I can almost hear you now. "I'm _not_ a Gully Git." (Remember when I addressed you as Girlie Git?!) :^D

-- newbiebutnodummy (Linda@home.com), May 22, 1999.

I'd get rid of 'em, dude.

-- ed (edrider007@aol.com), May 22, 1999.

Roland- I'd pull em up and replant elsewhere. Put some row cover on them this time. Helps keep off alot of pests. Can't imagine you'd have too short a period of time to still plant- mine aren't even in the ground yet- will be soon- been waiting for the frosts to stop.

Mostly- it's the mexican Bean Beetle that chews on bean leaves. Never had what you're describing.Best defense is fertile soil- add lotsa compost pre-plant. Then plant and cover.

-- anita (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), May 22, 1999.

HELP!!! MY HEAD HAS TERMITES!

-- Al Gore (treehugger@2000.race), May 22, 1999.

For healthy plants, compost, compost, compost. If "the fit hits the shan" next year you'll have to get along without insecticides anyway. But household garbage, leaves, dead grass and manure will always be with us.

Sir Albert Howard's An Agricultural Testament and The Soil and Health basic texts, o.p. but readily available used thru the Advanced Book Exchange. Also lots of info on the web, e.g., Composting at Home.

Old Git -- if that accent's out of Glasgow or Ed'nburra, there's definitely a learning curve involved this side of the water.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), May 23, 1999.