Broad Beans

Hi,

Kathy my wife has recently planted some broad bean seeds and asks if she should put a cloche over them through the winter

Cheers

Al

 

2 Questions for Kathy, Al. What variety are they, and, if she`s going to protect them why sow them?:D:D:D why not leave it till spring?:thmb:

 

Mine are in pots, but I'm not sure if it is better to plant them out (shortly), or leave them in posts, under cover, and plant them out in the Spring?

(My intention is to get an early crop, and to be able to pinch the tops out before the blackfly start enjoying them and them become a nuisance in the veg patch generally)

 

Hi,
The variety is called 'The Sutton' it is a dwarf variety can be sown outdoors oct-nov or indoors in feb.
she has sown them because she has no greenhouse and cant grow in pots in the spring due to lack of space. What is the best way to make a cheap cloche

Al

 

Hi Al. As far as I'm concerned, the beans won't need any protection from the weather. I've just sown mine in pots, and once they're up, they will be planted out. Hope this helps. Cheers...freddy.

 

I've got mine in the ground under coke bottles as the last part of acclimatising them. I've planted early to try and get an early start on the growing season. There's a few of us trying that - so it'll be interesting to read experiences next year with those who waited.

So coke bottles are a cheap cloche - albeit small. They'll help get them started.

Good luck with them

Brian

 

Growing cold, in pots for planting in spring, with minimal frost protection, I can understand. But I don`t see the point in sowing straight in the ground, in October with a good chance of the seed rotting. Or the young shoots being burnt off by frost. I`m going to set a challenge here. I want someone to sow 50% of their seeds straight in the ground, now, and the other 50% in pots in a cold frame or cold greenhouse.Then next year, compare cropping times and crop weight.:thumb::D Anyone up for it?

 

"Anyone up for it?"

Not me!, I don't even sow directly in pots. Mine are sown in damp kitchen paper in a tupperware box, and those that germinate (i.e. all/nearly all) are then planted into pots. Otherwise I waste effort on the pots that don't germinate or, worse!, I plant two per pot and wind up pinching out half of the seedlings!

However, I reckon they would germinate just fine in October. My Mother in law doesn't sow hers until November (outdoors), she thinks I'm mad sowing mine as early as October, and I don't think many of hers fail to come up.

 

Hi there Dai. I WOULD be up for it, but I don't have the space. One thing though, I know the crop I had this year, so I'll use that as a comparison. Cheers...freddy.

 

I can't match exactly that comparison - but here's what I'm planning. I'll be happy to report back

I've sown 20 beans in pots - 13 are now in the ground - about to come out of their hardening off cloches. Reminder to self - put some slug traps down !!

The other 7 didn't germinate as strongly, so they're in the greenhouse - thinking I will wait until they're established and plant out - but at the moment they're spares. I'm planning on planting a further 20 beans in pots in January - ready for a early spring plant out. Aquadulce needs to be sown no later than January according to the notes I have.

If everything goes according to plan - does it ever ?!?! - then I'll be able to give some views on if this has been worthwhile.

Brian

 

Hi all,

Well the beans are just coming through all forty seeds seem to have made it!, we have put some netting over them on sticks to deter birds. Having made some cloches Kathy reckons they may not need covering but they maybe useful in the spring

Cheers

Al

 

This year I had the best beans I've ever had from seed planted last October, they were disease free and blackfly free and off the twenty or so seeds I planted I had enough beans to freeze for this winter, I am more than chuffed and have done the same this year - all the seeds I've put in have germinated and the plantlets are about 3 inches high. I expect to be picking beans again sometime in June.

 

From agricultural experience, I found that the tops being burnt off by the frost only causes the plant to bush out. Instead of one stalk you could have four, it often results in a heavier crop, slightly later. I have already set my Broad Beans and they will take their chance. I may set some more around February time.

 

I always start mine after Christmas in cardboard toilet rolls with a bit of scrunched up newspaper at the bottom. Seems to add a little bit of frost proctection. I also make little cloches out of coke bottles too, but I have had a few complaints from my neighbour about my row of plastic bottles, but don't start me on that one......

 

Thank you for this thread friends, because having some difficulty getting Broad Beans in supermarkets, I will attempt to grow some myself. We are most fortunate not to have neighbours who complain about our garden, but then the only one we can see, is in a state as well, due to the fact and I respect it, they are elderly and have to pay for their garden to be done.