About Broad beans

**Florence Fennel** · 07-06-2012, 06:12 AM

I only grow a few plants Rob as I'm the only one who likes them. They are in open ground and are about 5 feet tall, I nipped out the tops on Monday as the pods are forming at the bottom. Mine were overwintered, when did you put them in? I wonder if they've been too restricted by your container? Don't know enough about them really to help. I'm just glad there have been no black flies yet, they love broad beans.

**Jamesy_uk** · 07-06-2012, 06:57 AM

Originally posted by ItsEssexRob View Post

I have 3 Broad bean plants in a medium sized trough. All three have flowered but havent gotten any taller than about 8-9 inches for the past month. The flowers have gone black and crispy and died off, but I see no bean left behind, although I admitt I am new to this so not sure exactly what I should be seeing. Are broad beans typically not very tall growers and should the beans be showing after the flower has gone? I am worried the flowers have just died without forming pods.

Thanks

It could well be the pots although mine did the same, I planted er early feb and when they came up they stood still for weeks and then we had the week or 2 of sun and they just flew and doubled in size and more. Flower drops on runner/french beans at least indicate a stress of some type, food/water/weather maybe a little feed wouldnt go amiss.

**Two_Sheds** · 07-06-2012, 07:11 AM

The flowers do go black and fall off, then the baby pods come along a bit after that, depending on weather

Mine are very late this year because it's been so cold & wet.

8" is really too small ~ mine are usually 18" on a windy site (the wind stunts them) but with all the rain this year they're a massive (for me!) 48" tall.

I think your trough isn't deep enough, and/or they've been hungry

**taff** · 07-06-2012, 07:15 AM

did you have dwarf ones? and how long ago did the flowers fall off?

**kathyd** · 07-06-2012, 07:45 AM

Hi EssexRob

I'd not grown them before either and worried about the black crispy (lovely description

) flowers, and couldn't see any beans - but crispy is good apparently! The bean will kind of push through from underneath - I'm attaching a photo showing the bean growing with the remains of the black flower on top.

Some of my plants aren't very big either, although admittedly bigger than 8". I do wish they'd put the expected heights of things on the seed packets, it would make life much easier...

Attached Files

broadie1.jpg (0, 700 views)

**rustylady** · 07-06-2012, 07:52 AM

Originally posted by kathyd View Post

Hi EssexRob

I'd not grown them before either and worried about the black crispy (lovely description

) flowers, and couldn't see any beans - but crispy is good apparently! The bean will kind of push through from underneath - I'm attaching a photo showing the bean growing with the remains of the black flower on top.

Some of my plants aren't very big either, although admittedly bigger than 8". I do wish they'd put the expected heights of things on the seed packets, it would make life much easier...

Kathy, your beans are showing under your black crispy bits

**Sarico** · 07-06-2012, 08:22 AM

i have the same problem.. mine instead are almost 2 foot tall in container and the flower are drop off but not bean yet... i was expecting something like the peas... i will wait and see what will happen

**Bren In Pots** · 07-06-2012, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by Florence Fennel View Post

I only grow a few plants Rob as I'm the only one who likes them. They are in open ground and are about 5 feet tall, I nipped out the tops on Monday as the pods are forming at the bottom..

I love stir-fried bean tops they're also nice in an omelette

**Two_Sheds** · 07-06-2012, 01:25 PM

Originally posted by kathyd View Post

I do wish they'd put the expected heights of things on the seed packets

They usually do ...

**Gemmalaveen** · 07-06-2012, 04:29 PM

My broad beans are slow this year too but in the last week the pods are finally forming. Personally I don't think they lend themselves to container growing, unless the container is enormous.

**Dead Dogs** · 08-06-2012, 11:25 AM

Originally posted by Sarico View Post

i have the same problem.. mine instead are almost 2 foot tall in container and the flower are drop off but not bean yet... i was expecting something like the peas... i will wait and see what will happen

Snap.

I have 3 varieties; Sutton Seed, Masterpiece Green Longpod and Red Epicure. Flowers on the first two,but no baby pods. Reds sown later and have yet to flower.

**Jamesy_uk** · 08-06-2012, 11:28 AM

Not sure if anyone else found this but my Aquadulce have half as many flowers as my Sutton, in fact the stems are so full of flowers you can barely see them.

p.s.
Not seen this before being my first year with broads but when they got blown over in the window I noticed some stalks had holes in them like something burrowed in but the plant seemed healthy enough.

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