Best way to use old broad beans

[kris1960]

My neighbour was intending to burn his broad bean tops and roots to get rid of them. I hastily removed but would like to know the best use for his and mine.
Should I separate out the roots and sprinkle on beds or dig in?
Should I cut up whole plants and use as mulch and, if so, around which plants will it be most beneficial?
How do leguminous plants make nitrogen available to other plants or improve the soil?
Any advice, information or reasoning would be very welcome.

[kathyd]

I 'think' the nitrogen is in little white lumps on the roots, and I'm not sure but I suspect that you'd need to cut the plant down before it'd flowered, otherwise it'll presumably give the nitrogen to its own little family of beans! But I could be wrong, my 'reasoning' isn't always on the same wavelength as other people . Personally I'd go for chopping the plants up and leaving the pieces on the soil for the worms and the weather, provided there's no rust or other nasties on them. And that includes the roots too. As for which veg, I have no idea... whichever are most in need of a mulching? Things that need a lot of water, or maybe things which will be in the ground for ages like some brassicas?

[PyreneesPlot]

The nitrogen is in nodules in the roots, but I think I read that once the plant sets flowers/fruit the nitrogen levels become insignificant. May be wrong, of course
But mulch is always good

[Shadylane]

Yeah I think the opinion that legumes leave nitrogen in the ground has been dispelled as a myth, as the plants simply use it all up themselves. I was all about mulch until recently, as the slug population seems to be taking advantage of it. So up to you really. Any plants will appreciate a good mulch as long as they're well established and then the hiding slugs can't plan a seek and destroy.

[kris1960]

Don't the nodules on the roots did something useful?

[veggiechicken]

http://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/wp-c...nday-Times.pdf

[kris1960]

Thanks VC. Does that mean using legumes as green manure is also useless?

[fishpond]

http://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/wp-c...nday-Times.pdf

Another book I have just purchased, thanks to VC.
Very interesting though---only got another 7 of his to get

[fishpond]

My neighbour was intending to burn his broad bean tops and roots to get rid of them. I hastily removed but would like to know the best use for his and mine.
Should I separate out the roots and sprinkle on beds or dig in?
Should I cut up whole plants and use as mulch and, if so, around which plants will it be most beneficial?
How do leguminous plants make nitrogen available to other plants or improve the soil?
Any advice, information or reasoning would be very welcome.

Put them in the compost bin.

[Jay-ell]

From what I understand bacteria living in the nodules lock nitrogen and pass it on to the plant in exchange for sugars. Legumes will only produce these sugars when they need the nitrogen (e.g. when putting on green leaves and especially fruiting or when in low nitrogen soil) an the sugars take energy. Once they have enough nitrogen they stop making sugars.

Makes me wonder about the idea growing legumes to lock in atmospheric nitrogen then making a bean trench full of high nitrogen material.

As for what to do with the old plants - whether from the atmosphere or from the soil they still have nitrogen and organic material so put them into the compost.

[kris1960]

From what I understand bacteria living in the nodules lock nitrogen and pass it on to the plant in exchange for sugars. Legumes will only produce these sugars when they need the nitrogen (e.g. when putting on green leaves and especially fruiting or when in low nitrogen soil) an the sugars take energy. Once they have enough nitrogen they stop making sugars.

Makes me wonder about the idea growing legumes to lock in atmospheric nitrogen then making a bean trench full of high nitrogen material.

As for what to do with the old plants - whether from the atmosphere or from the soil they still have nitrogen and organic material so put them into the compost.

Thanks Jay, does this mean that the bacteria in nodules are only associated with, and working for, host plants or is it worth cutting up roots and distributing nodules around other plants- runners or pumpkins perhaps?

[Alison]

I just compost them

[Scarlet]

They go straight in the compost nine here - along with all the blackfly

Another book I have just purchased, thanks to VC.
Very interesting though---only got another 7 of his to get

His "salad for all seasons" is brilliant! Fab book.

[Jay-ell]

Thanks Jay, does this mean that the bacteria in nodules are only associated with, and working for, host plants or is it worth cutting up roots and distributing nodules around other plants- runners or pumpkins perhaps?

Ive read that there is a little bit of nitrogen leakage when the plants are alive - once chopped up and breaking down in the soil they release all the nutrientsback into the soil as wll as organic mattet so yes, break em up and let them break down or pull em up and compost them