Broad bean query

[royboy60]

Hi,

I would like advise regards my broad beans. I sowed in a planter, up against house wall on October 16th last year. They have survived weeks of snow and frost, here in West Yorkshire, and are now in flower and have been for a couple of weeks, how long now before pods form??
I am anxious to use this trough for runner beans as they climb up the trellis.
I have sown some runner beans ihn a large pot just in case I am too late, but this is the better place for them, lots of sun etc.
I have tried to upload a photo, but it says file is too large??

[Bren In Pots]

If its any help all my broad beans have usually finished by mid July.

[kathyd]

I planted last year for the first time, and I seem to remember that they flower over quite a long period, and the pods form from the bottom up. I think you're meant to nip out the growing tip at some stage to prevent blackfly, but I can't remember exactly when, duh... Someone else will remind us both soon hopefully! I assume that once the growing tip is pinched out, the plant will put all its energies into forming the pods too, rather than growing upwards, so things may progress a bit faster? Just a guess, but seems logical . I found the pods incredibly hard to see at first - they're tiny and just look like part of the flower. I was convinced I wasn't going to get any beans, but in fact ended up with loads.

Re-size of photo - you can probably compress them using your operating system somehow ... I still have Vista, and if I make a folder and put my photo(s) in it, I can right click and choose 'optimise images', and it creates a new folder with smaller pics inside. Alternatively there are websites which will compress your photos for free online I think (search on google), or you'll be able to download some software, probably also for free, which will do the job for you. But I'd check your own PC first because you're almost sure to have the tools built in somewhere .

[greenfingers23]

Mine were sown at a similar time. Been in flower for over 3 weeks. Pods just starting to form (they are difficult to spot at first). If you do pinch the tops out when you see the pods forming don't chuck them as they make delicious soup.

[BertieFox]

Pinching the tops out also encourages the pods to form lower down, as well as deterring black fly. We just steam the tops for a minute or two and eat them as a veg. Delicious!

[shona_b]

checked ours yesterday - the beans are forming really well - i think it will only be a matter of days before they are ready for picking (we like them small). Everything is slower this year but the overwintered plants should be over by end of June (fingers crossed as need the bed for squashes!)