Crops

Bean, Snap, Dry and Lima

All beans, except lima, are relatively easy to grow in New England. Beans should be planted in well-drained soil to reduce the chances of disease, and should not be repeatedly planted in the same field (rotate every two to three years) because of soil-borne diseases.

Planting should commence only when soil temperatures have reached 60°F. Optimum seed germination occurs at soil temperatures between 70°F and 95°F for snap beans and between 70°F and 85°F for limas. Irrigation may be necessary at time of bloom in order to insure maximum pod set under dry soil conditions. Temperatures above 90°F or below 50°F cause poor pod set.

For Current information on production methods (including varieties, spacing, seeding, and fertility), weed, disease, and insect management, please visit the New England Vegetable Management Guide website.

Below you will find additional information on managing this crop, including photos of insects and diseases in this crop, fact sheets, articles, and power point presentations, when available.

Insect List

• Aphids
• Cutworm Veriagated
• Cutworm Black
• European Corn Borer
• Corn Earworm
• Cabbage Looper
• Garden Springtails
• Leaf Hoppers
• Mexican Bean Beetles
• Seedcorn Maggot
• Two Spotted Spider Mite
• Tarnished Plant Bug
• Slugs

Disease List

• Anthracnose (Colletotrichum)
• Downey Mildew (Phytophthora phaseoli)
• Bacterial Blights (Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas)
• Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV)
• Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus (BYMV)
• Rust (Uromyces)
• Seed Decay
• White Mold (Sclerotinia)

Articles

• Sclerotinia Blight of Vegetable Crops
• Virus Diseases of Beans
• White Mold of Bean
• Anthracnose of Bean
• Downy Mildew of Pea and Bean
• Rust of Bean