Broad Beans - sow in June?

In February I sowed my Aquadulce Claudia beans indoors (in compost filled toilet rolls) and then planted the small plants outside a month or so later.

These are now cropping nicely but I think that they will only crop for a few weeks as very few new flowers are appearing.

I'm now pondering whether it would be a good idea to sow some more - I would have to do that indoors again (there's nowhere to plant them outside right now) as I would be looking to pull up the existing plants once they were no longer producing beans - I'd then put the young plants into the space that the old ones currently occupy.

If I did this, would I get a crop from the second batch, maybe in September or October? Or wouldn't that work out?

 

You'll be fine to sow a late crop now. They're unlikely to be as good as the early crop and will be a target for black fly (the swine) but you have every chance with the summer we're having. Do it this weekend if you can. Much later and you're stuffed - they won't mature before the chill. You can never have enough broad beans. I grow at least four crops a year. The other thing to do is sow a row in autumn and you'll have a very early harvest next year.

 

@Jules Lake we grew our usual Aqualdulce Claudia last November as we know they are blackfly free supposedly but this year for the first time ever we had blackfly of on them and they had even attacked some of the beans so Mr Kandy pulled those ones up and quickly pinched out the tops.They have been fine after that

 

Thanks for the advice, I'll get some more planted then.

As for blackfly, mine also had some but pinching out the tips stopped that.

Some of the plants DO have some "rust" (it all but killed one plant yet the rest aren't badly affected) but even rust-affected pods have good beans inside.

 

Can anyone confirm if it is blackfly that is affecting my broad beans? I had a decent crop initially but now they are pretty much ruined. As this coincided with the wetter weather I am not sure if its mildew or similar. I've never had a problem with broad beans in previous years, so not quite sure what plants affected by blackfly look like. If anyone can advise, that would be great, thanks.

 

@Green Fingered Blogger
Looks more fungal possibly rust and/or chocolate spot, both well known broadbean problems.
Blackfly are a sap sucking insect a bit like a greenfly. They appear on the young shoots and soon form a dense black mass, which can be wiped off or an organic pesticide/soapy water can be used. I usually pinch the tips out if the plants are tall enough.
The tips, if picked before blackfly, can be cooked like spinach.

 

Thanks @NigelJ is there anything I can do next time to stop the rust/chocolate spot? Or is it just down to the wet weather?

 

@Green Fingered Blogger
I think it's down to the weather, I always suffer to some degree.