GREEN BEANS ALMOST DEAD

[3 NH reds]

I reclaimed an old garden I had that had been over run by weeds, wild roses etc. We have nothing but rocks around here and I wanted a bigger garden so I used the back hoe and dug up a 20-25 or so garden. Things in some parts are doing ok but where I planted my first beans was the old garden and they are pale plants that look like they will die without ever having beans. they have flowers that never opened. I planted a new crop 3 weeks after this batch and they look fine. Same variety and 6 feet away.any idea what is up?

 

[Life is Good!]

Sounds like soil depletion to me. Add some compost or even used bedding from your coop over that spot of the garden this fall/winter. Pile up dropped leaves once they start falling on this spot also (or even all over the garden!).

Every fall, we heap as much dry leaves, compost and chicken litter over the beds in our garden. Usually about 12-20" deep. Don't dig it in, just lay it on top. By spring, the 'heaps' are only about 2" tall (if that). By mid-summer, it's all gone. And we've got great soil now - after just 3yrs of putting THIS much of leaf litter, compost, chicken compost, etc. I know the soil will continue to improve with this 'treatment' annually. I also rarely rototill or otherwise double-dig or any of that work - I let the worms do it all! They do great - and I've never seen this many nightcrawlers in my garden EVER. (Been gardening in this spot for 10 seasons now.)

 

[3 NH reds]

Yea I wanted to add some good poo this year but it was all fresh, we used the good stuff composted and put it in with blue berries we planted and put a big heap on the lilac bushes. The veggie garden this year was a late thought. The old garden was feral for 2 years and wild roses took it over. they are so nasty and sharp and hard to get rid of, cut them back and 5 more pop up.. I plan to compost the garden this fall, I have been saving any bird compost we get. I used Miracle Grow pellets in the garden and everything else looks OK.