Reasons for Lima Beans Not to Grow

Condition

• One reason for lima beans not to grow is if the soil conditions are subpar. Lima beans cannot thrive in low-lying areas that do not drain well, which cause the roots to become waterlogged. In addition, lima beans will not grow if they are not in full sun and if the plants' soil is not fertile. Planting lima bean seeds prior to your region's final frost date also is another cause of lima bean plant problems.

Planting

• Yet another reason for failed lima bean plants is if the temperature of the soil at planting is below 69 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of 4 inches. Do not break the root during the planting, which also can make the lima bean plant not grow. You additionally must change the position of your lima bean plants regularly so that you never put a lima bean plant in the same spot two years in a row. Not planting a lima bean seed at the correct height -- about 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep -- also can keep a lima bean plant from thriving. Place the lima bean plants 3 inches apart for baby limas and 10 inches apart for pole limas as well.

Care

• Water the soil around your lima bean plant, rather than watering the plant from overhead, which can make the foliage wet and susceptible to diseases. Inadequate soil fertility can also keep a lima bean plant from growing. Apply a 5-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of a cup of fertilizer per 50 feet of row. Lima bean plants should also receive an inch of water a week to grow properly.

Diseases

• Another chief reason lima bean plants fail to thrive is the presence of fungi. For instance, the fungal disease anthracnose is caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum and is characterized by black lesions and blotches on the foliage that appear as soot. In addition, fungi such as Pythium and Rhizoctonia solani harm lima bean seedlings or cause lima bean seeds not to sprout. The leaves of the plant turn yellow as well. To prevent these fungal diseases, apply fungicides -- following the label directions -- when you plant lima beans.