When you have harvested all the broad beans...

[Oleander]

what are you supposed to do with the plants?

I was going to pull them all up and compost them, but I think I read somewhere in July's gyo mag a tip about leaving the roots in the ground - of course, I can't find it now!

Does anyone do this?

[Capsid]

Yes, leave the roots in the ground and compost the rest. Since legumes incorporate nitrogen fixing bacteria in nodules in their roots, its beneficial to leave them there or dig them in.

[HayleyB]

I'm currting of the stem at the base and leaving that in then throwing the stems and leaves at the chooks - they love 'em

[blackkitty]

A few years ago there was a tip on here about cutting them off about an inch from the ground and feeding them and they would regrow and you could get a second smaller crop from them. I've tried it once and it worked but the second crop was a lot smaller and only worth it, I would think if you didn't have something else waiting for the space.

[HayleyB]

Green curly Kale............

That's what's going in my broadies bed

And my pea bed.............. Redbor Kale

[Alison]

As soon as my broadies are finished they'll be cut to ground level, the tops put on the compost heap and a Blue Ballet or Halequin squash planted in the ground where the beans have been.

[Snadger]

I'm going to speak out against convention here and say I always pull mine up because I would rather add the nitrogen to my compost heap as an activaor. The stumps are also a pain in the butt to work around if left in the soil..........so, out they come! It's only a miniscule amount of Nitro anyway and if the following crop requires it, which it shouldn't,especially with the onset of autumn when mine will be ready, I'd just give a sprinkling BFB!