Grow Your Own Magazine

Hello from a new forumite (and a second season veg grower)

I planted some cold-resistant broad beans about 4 weeks ago in modules with the intention of planting out for an early crop next spring. They are now about 3 inches high.

Does anyone have any advice for how best to plant out (when, need for protection, etc).

Alternatively would it simply be best to pot on and keep in the cold frame (I don't have a greenhouse, and space is quite limited though)

Thanks in advance

VF

Welcome to the grapevine, Vegetarian Fox. I always used to sow my over-wintering broad beans directly into the soil and usually had reasonable crops so if you plant out now I'm sure they'll be fine. I really need to protect not so much from frost as from pigeons. If you are in the same boat, net them or maybe better still, fleece them. I've sown in modules this year for the first time, but only a dozen or so seeds. I'm growing The Sutton (a dwarf variety) this year - last year I had Bunyard's Exhibition which took a lot of staking and ended up bigger then me (and I'm 5ft 9"). I intend to fleece them over when they are all through - only been in about 10 days but half are showing. I'm going to sow the rest in spring (when I expect to have more ground free) and see how long it is between harvests.
Best of luck with them.

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www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 17th - The Big Dig

Thanks Flummery, I think I will plant them out now then so they get well set before the first major frosts and put in some netting. I'm growing Super Aquadulce (which gave me a great spring planted crop last year, although I didn't support them enough as they got to around 6 ft as well)

Hi - I'm growing Aquadulce too. About 4 weeks ago I sowed some directly into the ground, others in pots : They're all up now, but the pot sown ones got off to a better start. (I've planted them out now) If we get heavy frosts, i'll put cloches over them, but I'm hoping they'll cope with the mild winters we usually get here. I'll support mine better this time too, 'cos last time they flopped about a bit.

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I grew Aquedulce last year, this year I've plumped for Super Aquedulce. They're in the ground, all nice and bushy, 3 inches high.

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Am I too late to sow Aqua D next weekend? Now that I go to and from work in the dark, I haven't had the opportunity in the week and am away visiting family this weekend. Would I be best putting them straight into the ground, or starting them in pots (and if pots, inside or out?). Sorry folks, the hijacker strikes again!!

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I was just going to ask the same Moggssue. I thought you didn't plant Aquadulce til november (first time growing broad beans), so didn't plant them 2 weeks ago but was going to try and get to the plot this week the put them in. Am I too late?

I think they should be fine now. The danger is of planting them too early - you can end up with tall, soft growth that falls to the first hard frost or high wind. If they start off later they'll not make so much soft growth and will be a bit tougher.

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 17th - The Big Dig

Have just checked last year's diary and found out that I sowed some the second week in November last year. These acutally did better than the ones I sowed in modules and planted out at the same time. Think it was because they were stockier when some high winds hit. However, the best ones I had were sowed early spring and were only about a couple of weeks behind the over wintered ones so this year I'm not bothering.

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I sowed some direct last year & covered them with a polythene cloche, unfortunately I didn't get a very big crop as the slugs & snails got to a lot of them before I noticed! I might try 'The Sutton' this year as they are a short variety & don't need much support, haven't got a round to sowing any yet though but think there's still time while the ground is workable (not too wet/frozen).

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Thanks all! Think I'll give it a go then - if only to have something to fulfil my need to get out there despite the dark evenings hehe!

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Its Probably best to put them into the ground around about now. If the plants get too big and you plant them out, the frosts may damge the foliage more.
Doing it this way will mean the beans put on some good growth in the spring!!

I've got Sutton and Aquadulce germinating in cells in the cold greenhouse. Daren't put them in the ground yet as germinating seeds get eaten/stolen. They'll go onto the lottie as soon as they're big enough.

We grew spring bbeans last year and they were delicious, just not enough of them! Never grown them before so have some questions please....just want the most earliest beans possible!

So.....Why are broadbeans over-wintered? How soon do you get a crop compared to if you plant bbeans in spring? Could they be left overwinter in modules and then planted out very early?

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Manda.

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For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

For me,they usually start cropping about 2 to 3 weeks before spring sown beans and give a heavier crop!

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[quote=smallblueplanet;144691]We grew spring bbeans last year and they were delicious, just not enough of them! Never grown them before so have some questions please....just want the most earliest beans possible!

I found the same thing on my first year- just not enough! Last year I put some in to overwinter and from spring sowed about every 2 weeks for the maximum cropping time. I had several varieties and 8 rows. Do put a few in pots or extras at the end with the overwinter ones to fill in any gaps in the rows. I had a lovely crop, ate my fill and put 4 bags in the freezer- it's only me that eats them so that should last me nicely. I also sprayed the plants in spring with strong garlic water-most bugs dont seem to like it. I took 4 plants tips off in 8 rows with blackfly, the rest had hardly any. Next year its a big crop of garlic too!

Thanks for all the comments - if anything it sounds as if I have started mine too early as they might be a little tall for overwintering - but will carry on regardless

On a more important subject - ways to eat them I would recommend if you have a glut next year to make broad bean hummus, just simmer/steam till tender, then remove the outer skin of each bean. Then mash with parmesan and olive oil to create a bright green paste you can have on toast. Good use of the slightly older beans.

VF

Yum ! Isn't falafel made from broad beans too ?

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Ooohhh ooohhh, I love hummus - never thought of doing it with broadies. Hope I get a glut now!!!!!

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Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance

Traditional hummus is basically chickpeas and tahini (sesame seas paste) - according to my dear wife

The best thing about the broad bean variety is offering it to friends without telling them what it is - they very rarely guess, and when you do tell them they usually say 'but i don't like broad beans' after having devoured lots

My Aquadulce are now just poking through, sown 17/10. Do they need any protection? have I seen in a book, cut lemonade bottles over them like mini cloches? The plot is not in a sheltered position at all.

Compost is a mixture of organic materials which decay into a dark soil-like mass, also called hummus
nice on toast!

http://www.stoke.gov.uk/ccm/navigati...me-composting/

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Stoke.gov.uk - don't you ever invite me to supper! Write in the margin 3 times - humus, humus, humus!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 17th - The Big Dig