Broad Beans

angiecadie · Broad Beans

My broad bean plants are showing small black patches in the new growth and I have seen small dark brown/black beasties on them, are they black aphids? and should I spray them with diluted ecover washing up?

any ideas?

Angie

Smooth Hound

you could give that a try, ive had thisbadly sometimes, the beans still eem to do okay though.

pete_inthehills

sounds like black fly. If there is a lot they can effect the new growth and stunt the plant.

Get your marigolds on and squash them by hand, its more effective than dilute washing up liquid.

pete
inthehills

Diana

Could be chocolate spot (common on broad beans).

If there's no sign of creatures I'd not spray. Broad beans are quite robust but do suffer aphid/blackfly attack (usually later - during summer), and all that requires is the tops pinching out (that's here the aphids congregate)

wildgarlic

take a photo and let us see