My Lucky Bean Plant Is Dying

Container

• If the plant is grown in a container, it will need enough room to accommodate the plant roots. For small seedlings, use a 3- to 5-gallon container, which will have enough room for future growth. If the lucky bean plant is in a small container, you need to transplant it into a larger container so that the roots aren’t cramped and can spread.

Water

• Whether the lucky bean plant is in a garden or in a container, it will need moist soil all the time, but the soil must have good drainage so that the roots aren’t sitting in soggy soil. Constantly wet soil will promote root rot, which will kill the plant. If you have wet soil, stop watering and let it dry out. Place at least 1 inch of mulch around the base of the plant to hold in the moisture and keep the soil cool.

Soil

• Amend clay or sandy soil in the garden with compost or peat moss to improve the drainage. Container plants need a rich, organic potting soil, which will help the plant grow and stay healthy. Fertilize the lucky bean plant once in spring with a 10-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer.

Sun

• Lucky bean plants need full sunlight to grow. If the plant only has partial sun or shade, the plant needs to be moved to a sunny location. Container plants that are kept indoors should be located in front of a south- or west-facing window where the sun is bright. You can set a lucky bean plant outdoors on a patio during the summer, but it must be moved indoors before a frost, which will cause the plant to die.

Scale

• Armored scale will cause the plant to look stressed. Leaves will turn yellow and twigs and branches will die. Armored scale can kill a tree if not treated. Soft scale generally will not kill a tree, but will attract other insects, which can infest the plant. Scale is controlled by keeping the plant watered so it isn’t under stress. The chemical control for scale is an insecticide formulated to treat scale, such as an insecticidal soap, spray or oil.