Broad Beans dying

[Marb67]

Well I just don't believe this. Recommended to sow BB in Autumn (some people sow direct in the ground) and yet undercover in a zip up mini greenhouse they are flopping over and going black. Why oh why has this happened ? It doesn't make sense!

[Jungle Jane]

I’d just sow more in March,you could try repotting those a bit deeper so they’re straighter unless they’re rotting at the stem from too much water or being over fertilised? I prefer to sow direct in the soil & when germinated they’ll be hardy to the weather conditions,if overwatered it’s dispersed throughout the bed. If overwatered in a pot undercover,the roots are in a puddle & the plants aren’t fully hardy. Also the rain helps water them outside,low maintenance,theres dwarf varieties that can grow in pots outside but 12” deep & wide so they don’t need to be repotted or touched at all

[Snoop Puss]

Packets give sowing dates for ideal conditions, not the real world, Marb.

[Marb67]

Well they weren't even watered and inside from the elements. I germinated them by soaking the beans for a day indoors before planting.

[ameno]

Foot rot. Broad beans and peas are prone to it. It's caused by specific species of fungi in the soil. This is why you use sterile compost if you are starting in pots.

Just start again in March.

[Marb67]

Foot rot. Broad beans and peas are prone to it. It's caused by specific species of fungi in the soil. This is why you use sterile compost if you are starting in pots.

Just start again in March.

I did hear that BB's can be started in used compost.

[ameno]

I did hear that BB's can be started in used compost.

The fungi that cause foot rot aren't everywhere. They have patchy distribution, and are common in some places and non-existent in others.
If you're lucky enough to live somewhere without them, then I'm sure used compost would be perfectly safe. But if you're not, it's not.
And regardless of whether you can use used compost, it's always going to carry a higher risk of infection, so you need to realise and accept that.
Plus anything started in the autumn is always going to be more prone to infection, as it has to sit there in our damp, mild winter for months, barely growing (most plant's only defence against infection is simply to grow out of it).

[Marb67]

Well, even more are keeling over. Absolutely gutted. Why bother 😞

[Andraste]

I've not had much luck with autumn sown broadies in pots either Marb67 (our plot's too wet to direct autumn sow) - either the blow-away takes a dive at some point or they've not tolerated the temp dropping too low. I've only tried with Aquadulce Claudia but they are recommended for overwintering so variety isn't to blame for me.

This year I'm going to try pre-chitting (not soaking as I had trouble with seed beans rotting when I tried that last year) in early/mid Feb, sowing into pots but putting them straight into the blow-away (not starting indoors) on the theory they will know when the temp is right to pop themselves above ground. I'll be making sure I have enough seed beans left to do another sowing in March just in case the Feb batch don't turn out as planned/the weather turns against me.