French Beans Snapping

[redimp]

Three of my French Beans (so far) have reached a height of about 10 centimetres and then toppled over from a weak point halfway up the stem.  They are currently in 3" pots on top of my shed roof.  What is causing it and what can I do to stop it happening?

Thought this might be my problem - no problems with germinations so therefore have a weakness getting them to maturity.

[redimp]

[Doris_Pinks]

I find the dear slugs often half nibble my stems and the beans keel over! Rotten *(&&*(&%^%£"£"!**(( things!

[redimp]

I have to say that was my first thought but other posts on here suggest they would not climb up that high.  Could be snails but I do do regular snail patrols and I do not think there are many of them about at the moment.

[aquilegia]

wind maybe?

[sandersj89]

Are they snapping on the stem at the point where the seed leaves are? I have had a problem in the past where, as the seed leaves shrivel and die back you get a bit of fungus forming. This can eat back into the stem and cause it to break.

Jerry

[redimp]

Jerry, I think you may have nailed it - I have had a look and that is exactly where the weak point is.  Do I remove the seed leaves to prevent thsi happening?

[sandersj89]

Jerry, I think you may have nailed it - I have had a look and that is exactly where the weak point is.  Do I remove the seed leaves to prevent thsi happening?

I do now. I just tap them with a finger and if they fall of I bin them. If they dont fall I leave it for a day and try again.

This year it has been worse on my climbing borlotta beans, the dwarf french beans have been OK.

Jerry

[redimp]

Thanks Jerry - just been and knocked some off. Why do French beans have such unusual seed leaves - effectively the seed?