When the beans start to turn yellow, it's usually a cause for concern. However, the causes that can be behind the leaf discoloration are very diverse. Find out below the possible reasons for yellow leaves on the bean.
Yellow leaves on beans can have a variety of causes
Why do beans get yellow leaves?
There can be various causes behind a leaf discoloration, for example:
- Too much or too little moisture
- illness
- pest infestation
- Too much or too little sun
Too much or too little moisture
Like most crops, beans like it neither too dry nor too humid. They often react to drought with dry, brown-yellow leaves, too much moisture can lead to root rot or fungal infections, which also result in leaf discoloration.
illness
Yellow leaves are one of the symptoms of the dreaded bean mosaic virus. As the disease progresses, mosaic-like patterns appear on the affected leaves, which also buckle and warp. Diseased plants should be removed immediately.
pest infestation
Even if a bean plant is infested with spider mites, it will react with yellow spots. This infestation is easy to recognize because the spider mites form net-like structures on the underside of the leaf. The little animals can be easily removed with water and washing-up liquid after repeated use.
Too much or too little sun
Beans need sun, otherwise the harvest will be sparse and the bean will not grow properly. However, the bean can also get sunburned if there is too much sun. The result is brownish-yellow spots on the leaves. Don't worry, too much sun won't do any lasting damage to your bean plant.
exclude causes
To find out the cause of the yellow leaves on your bean plants, you should use the rule of elimination: Examine your bean for pests, none there? Then look at the earth. Too wet, too dry? No? Then maybe the sun? If all else fails, look up pictures of diseased bean plants online and compare them to your plant.
Rule out any mistakes before removing the plants.