Broad beans

How do you grow your broad beans? I sow my seeds in 4" pots in a heated propagator and then when 4" transfer to their growing spot. I grow In Feb.

This year's have just broken the surface.

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I sow mine November, in situ, I use buckets. They are about 12" now, broad beans are very hardy.

 

I sow mine in March, in root trainers. I don't offer any heat, but they are kept in my unheated greenhouse. I've tried them sown late, say November time, but at least half of them never made it through the winter. As for sowing them in February, a bit early I think, but as I've never sown that early, I can't poo poo it. As with quite a few things, I find that later sown tend to catch up, unhindered by set-backs caused by cold weather.

Cheers...Freddy

 

I grew my broad beans slightly earlier last year and they were a success. Others on the allotment who sowed into the ground suffered with pests and lost most of their crop. Many on our allotment daid they would grow plants firdt rathet than sow direct.

 

Yes, I never sow direct because of pests/conditions. I can't afford to give up valuable growing space....

 

I only grow a couple of dozen plants (not much space) and here are this years ones started off in the frame last month. I will plant them out in about two weeks.:


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(The two pots bottom left are Sedum)

 

I germinate mine in a bag of damp compost first then plant thise that germ into pots, then into the unheated greenhouse or polytunnel till later on.

Steve...

 

Eight out of the twelve beans sown have shown. Shame the rest of the family wont try them. Lovely and sweet when they are small. I shall enjoy them cooked or raw.

 

That's what I do, except I'm mean and only use 3" pots and I "chit" them first on some damp kitchen paper in a Tupperware box so I then only plant the ones that have sprouted.

 

I sowed mine outside in November for the first time in 2011 and due to a very warm November and December they shot up and were over a foot tall when they were half buried and bent over in frozen snow for two weeks last February. I just chopped off any damaged bits and the result was a bumper crop!
I did the same last November, but they didn't show the same enthusiasm and at the moment they are only a few inches tall, and have just surfaced after another heavy snowfall.

 

I started quite a few last year, but because of the cold spells, I have lost them all.started a new batch and bought two other varieties from my local garden centre, as they were Thompson and Morgan they had an offer of a free pkt of tomato seeds which was a bonus!

 

I've tried several varieties over-Winter, over the years. The only variety that has been a success for me is Aquadulce, and I don't bother with other varieties any more as I like to start mine off early, albeit in an unheated greenhouse rather than outside