We harvested all of our Contender beans today and yanked out the plants because they were getting too stressed with the hot, dry weather we've been having. When the husband was knocking the dirt off the roots, he found these little nodules on the roots of a couple of the plants. What are they and are they something we should be concerned about?
Another view.
And yes, that's the top of a toilet tank! LOL
Nothing to worry about. The nodules are a result of legume nitrogen fixation caused by a bacteria which has a symbiotic with the bean plant. The process is too lengthy to explain but if you Google legume nitrogen fixation you can read how the process plays out
Nothing to worry about. The nodules are a result of legume nitrogen fixation caused by a bacteria which has a symbiotic relationship with the bean plant. The process is too lengthy to explain but if you Google legume nitrogen fixation you can read how the process plays out
I KNEW it!
Steph, remember those threads that talked about certain plants "fixing" nitrogen in the soil. Well, I think you're seeing the nitro-nodules! That's why you have to leave the plants in and turn them under at the end of the season to get (leave) the benefit in the soil. Beans and, if I'm not mistaken, peas? also fix nitrogen to the soil!
Congratulations!
Oh, and I believe some of the "cover" crops do to. But, google it to be sure.
I knew they fixed nitrogen in the soil, I just had never seen the nodules. And, yeah, DH's already pulled all of the beans out. We've had a problem with mealy bugs and some other kind of white fuzzy stuff and some of the beans had it on them, so those are going to the curb in the yard waste bags.
As far as I know ALL legumes fix nitrogen at their roots. Some trees and flowers are legumes, too.
Be aware, that some nodules on roots are caused by root knot nematodes - they are definitely "bad"
