Well- I finally made the call on the fava beans and cut them all down (mostly- there are a couple of new shoots I left.)
I think the majority of the damage came from aphids (black flies). There was damage to leaves and the stalks, and some pods burst open and some didn’t mature correctly (probably bacteria brought in and nurtured by the flies. I found a couple of good articles about controlling them – links are deactivated
riversidegardencentre. blog/broad-beans-and-the-dreaded-blackfly
growing-guides. .uk/blackfly-on-broad-beans/
Basic recommendations are-
- pinch off top of plant where they like to be.
- Plant companion plants that bring in predators – oregano, dill, allysium
- Plant things black flies like better- nasturtium
- Soapy or essential oil treatment
- Manual squishing!
Anywho- I’m going to see what I can salvage in the way of beans. I would still plant these even if I can’t get beans from them, because of the handy hearty early greens and the bonus nitrogen fixing.
Here are some fava beans horror shots.
