tell me about broad beans
- chadspad
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Re: tell me about broad beans
I grew loads in Feb, started them off in pots due to mice eating the beans in the ground!, then March and April. The ones in Feb were amazing - really healthy, sturdy plants with massive crops of beans - the following ones werent as good or as abundant although still nice tasting. My uncle grew some in Nov of last year and they all died from the frost so not sure about planting them now and losing them all?
My parents B&B in the beautiful French Vendee http://bed-breakfast-vendee.mysite.orange.co.uk/
- Millymollymandy
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Re: tell me about broad beans
Chadspad - did you plant the Feb ones indoors or outside? I'm going to grow them for the 1st time but I can't be bothered to do autumn planting - mostly because I've still got loads of stuff in the ground plus the winter veg and it all needs compost dug in etc. Maybe I could start them off in a cold frame outside in Feb or March?
http://chateaumoorhen.blogspot.com/boboff wrote:Oh and just for MMM,(thanks)
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Re: tell me about broad beans
How cold does it get where he is? Or maybe it wasn't the right variety?chadspad wrote:My uncle grew some in Nov of last year and they all died from the frost so not sure about planting them now and losing them all?
Ina
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I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
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Re: tell me about broad beans
I sewed Aquiadulce Claudia in the autumn which backed nicely onto the end of the purple sprouting. Really good strong plants, seemed to not get attacked by blackfly much.
Also did Suttons in the spring but they were much smaller, weaker, loads of blackfly problems, and we were enjoying the autumn ones weeks before so important in spring- will to Aquadulce autumn and spring this year I think.
Supposed to be the easiest thing to grow, I was inspired by that comment on the main website last year!
Also did Suttons in the spring but they were much smaller, weaker, loads of blackfly problems, and we were enjoying the autumn ones weeks before so important in spring- will to Aquadulce autumn and spring this year I think.
Supposed to be the easiest thing to grow, I was inspired by that comment on the main website last year!
Just Do It!
- Millymollymandy
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Re: tell me about broad beans
Those are the ones that I have bought but given that we can have down to -8 here I still think I'll wait until the spring. I've got tons of winter veg and loads of beans in the freezer so I don't really need anything producing too early!
http://chateaumoorhen.blogspot.com/boboff wrote:Oh and just for MMM,(thanks)
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Re: tell me about broad beans
EEk we hardly get a frost here so can't comment on those temperatures!
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Re: tell me about broad beans
I always sow aquadulse in late Autumn and don't get many problems. But then we're a microclimate sheltered by the Downs to the north and Solent and IoW to the south.
If you dislike the skin of the mature beans try blanching full grown beans for 30 secs. or so, then pop the beans out. You can also eat the immature pods before the beans and the blankety interior develop. Bit like eating the topmost leaf tips.
Love and Peace
Jim
If you dislike the skin of the mature beans try blanching full grown beans for 30 secs. or so, then pop the beans out. You can also eat the immature pods before the beans and the blankety interior develop. Bit like eating the topmost leaf tips.
Love and Peace
Jim
The law will punish man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the Common
But lets that greater thief go loose
Who steals the Common from the goose.
Who steals the goose from off the Common
But lets that greater thief go loose
Who steals the Common from the goose.
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- Tom Good
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Re: tell me about broad beans
I overwintered broad beans at temps lower than that, I just covered them with a single layer of enviromesh and they stood through the worst of the winter up here (often below -10). They are also good at binding the soil and stopping nutrients leaching, plus fixing nitrogen. Though you could get the same effect with a good mulch of grass clippingsMillymollymandy wrote:Those are the ones that I have bought but given that we can have down to -8 here I still think I'll wait until the spring. I've got tons of winter veg and loads of beans in the freezer so I don't really need anything producing too early!

- godfreyrob
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Re: tell me about broad beans
BB's are one of my favourites.
Just a word of caution about autumn sowing though. They are tough but waterlogged soil will rot them. So if you are going for autumn sowings make sure the soil is well-drained.
Last year I lost all my autumn sown crop (even though they were planted in raised beds)
As the seeds are not cheap I am going for the spring sowings (in the greenhouse) and planting out when they are 2/3 inches high. Much more certain and no mice problems.
Just a word of caution about autumn sowing though. They are tough but waterlogged soil will rot them. So if you are going for autumn sowings make sure the soil is well-drained.
Last year I lost all my autumn sown crop (even though they were planted in raised beds)

As the seeds are not cheap I am going for the spring sowings (in the greenhouse) and planting out when they are 2/3 inches high. Much more certain and no mice problems.
- chadspad
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Re: tell me about broad beans
Sorry M3 have just seen your question about planting them outside. I have always started them off in pots first purely because of the mice having eaten them all from the ground the first year! I now put them on my garden table which is outside but undercover and slightly sheltered so a coldframe would be perfect but make sure its rodent proof or theyll eat them all. The plants only take few weeks and theyre up and raring to go. Very easy to grow and the best I grew were planted in Feb. These were much healthier than any of the subsequent plantings.
My parents B&B in the beautiful French Vendee http://bed-breakfast-vendee.mysite.orange.co.uk/