Fava beans

[newtogardening]

I started several fava bean plants this year, I am only a beginner at this point. I wanted to ask if the leaves in the picture I attached are supposed to be black around the edges. Other than that the plant is healthy and green. Thank you for your help.
-newtogardening

 

[Beth_B]

Is it growing indoors or out? And where in the US are you?

Looks like some sort of mold or fungus, which is usually due to getting too much water too often, high humidity, or tainted soil.

 

[newtogardening]

Is it growing indoors or out? And where in the US are you?

Looks like some sort of mold or fungus, which is usually due to getting too much water too often, high humidity, or tainted soil.

Hello Beth,
Thank you for your reply. This is growing outdoors and it is located in Tennessee. The soil is a mix called fox farm and the plants are growing in buckets. I have watered too often and too much. What would be a good way to combat the fungus and could you recommended a watering schedule? Thank you again.
-newtogardening

 

[Beth_B]

Oh boy, I'm not enough of an expert to recommend a fix, not even knowing what sort of fungus that is (or even if it is fungus.) Hopefully someone with more knowledge will have suggestions.

Don't feel bad for over-watering, it's the number one most common mistake new gardeners make! Generally with most plants, letting the soil dry between deep waterings is best. I just did a quick Google on fava beans, according to one site they do better in the ground than in containers. I'd imagine at least a five-gallon container would be optimal. I've done tomatoes and string beans in five gallon buckets (make sure there are plenty of holes drilled for drainage) and they've done ok.

 

[Tech]

Some speculations.

It could be the leaf shedding/sweating whatever it is and it's collecting on the rim like that.

It could be a generic black mold that has no place in being there and somehow is managing to infiltrate on the edges like that.

It could be the early stages of a fungus that's about to wreak havoc and is too early to identify.

It does seem awfully familiar. Is it velvety or like soot? Can you scrape it off, or is it embedded in the leaf? Also check under the leafs, it could be eggs in it's infancy.

I'd probably start by spraying it with soapy water and seeing if it washes/rubs off.

(Soapy water recipe is just a spray bottle with a drop of liquid dish soap. Only use on a cloudy day)

 

[newtogardening]

Some speculations.

It could be the leaf shedding/sweating whatever it is and it's collecting on the rim like that.

It could be a generic black mold that has no place in being there and somehow is managing to infiltrate on the edges like that.

It could be the early stages of a fungus that's about to wreak havoc and is too early to identify.

It does seem awfully familiar. Is it velvety or like soot? Can you scrape it off, or is it embedded in the leaf? Also check under the leafs, it could be eggs in it's infancy.

I'd probably start by spraying it with soapy water and seeing if it washes/rubs off.

(Soapy water recipe is just a spray bottle with a drop of liquid dish soap. Only use on a cloudy day)

Tech,
Thank you for your help. It seems to scrape/rub off easily. There has been nothing but rain and storms this past week at my location (Mid-TN) so I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. I will do as suggested and use the spray bottle with soap.
-newtogardening

 

[roadrunner]

This year was the first year for me growing fava beans and they're all looking bad now, but in my case I think it's because I planted them too late in the year and it's now too hot for them; this may also be a factor in your case.

P.S. When it was cooler outside they looked very healthy, but as the intensity of the sun has been increasing, they've been going downhill...

 

[Tech]

I'll add a few more things, if the sun ever comes out conditions will be less favorable for it and the plant will most likely outgrow it.

By the sounds of it, it's just a generic surface mold hanging on by threads and most likely can't spread significantly enough to do any major damage, possibly even a soot coming down with the rains, in any event I'm skeptical that it can spread faster then the plant can grow, seeing that you can wipe it off.

Assuming it's a fungus and If things get worse, there is anti fungal treatments you could use, but I'd be hesitant and probably wait it out as they can cause more harm then good and that plant will fair better from that sorta treatment once a little bigger.

How many plants are being effected by it and is that phenomenon appearing on the growth tips?

 

[newtogardening]

That's good to hear that it hopefully won't last much longer. I have 5 plants right now and only 3 have this fungus. It does not appear to be on the growth tips. I saw where you can make a solution out of water and additive free tobacco to use as an all natural pesticide. Is this a good move or do you have any experience with it?

 

[Tech]

I haven't tried that one but I've tried the "homemade blight recipe" ones and they do work to some degree for blight, it has anti fungal properties so it could work on this. Could burn your plants tho..

You'd add about 1/2 a tsp of Baking soda + 1 drop of liquid dish soap to a spray bottle. See "homemade blight recipes" and use at own risk. The oil in those recipes is used so that it doesn't wash off as easy but also causes the plants to burn when used in high amounts, I'd use the oil sparingly. (I only ever used plant based oil)