Acid Water Effect on Bean Plants

Planting Bean Plants

• Beans are best planted in spring so they can take advantage of the coming summer. They can be planted from March to August for a continuous harvest. Once bean plants have flowered and borne pods, they will reflower and bear more fruit. They are sensitive to cold, however, and won't last into the winter.

Bean Plant Appearance

• Most bean plants grow straight up and attain a height of twelve to thirty inches, depending on the breed of bean. The branches on bean plants produce the bean "pods." Beans grow inside these pods.

Acid Water and Bean Plants

• Like most plants, bean plants are highly effected by a substantial change in their environment, like the change to acidic water or rain. Acid rain causes bean plants to have stunted growth, quicker deterioration and faded leaf color. These results are directly proportionate to the acid level in the water.

The Needs of Bean Plants

• To grow correctly, bean plants need the right level of care. All bean plants need full sun, quick-draining soil, compost and fertilizer. If they're not getting enough nutrition, they won't grow. Instead, they remain small and conserve their energy. Beans do not grow well in soil that is too moist, or with weeds or other grasses, as they have a shallow root system that can be easily damaged. This means that they can't be grown too close together.

Diseases

• Bean plants can also be attacked by diseases that have nothing to do with the water they get. Diseases that cause leaf blight or wilting are usually caused by fungus, and dealt with using fungicides.