Broad Beans

This year I planted Bunyards Exhibition. They have lots of flowers but no sign of beans. I usually grow Aqua Dulce and haven't had any problems.
Would blue1952's tip about French beans [paint flowers with sugar to attract bees] work here?

 

Hi Liz, I would say have a bit more patience, if they are only just flowering there is still time. David.

 

OK- thanks!

 

I can't see the point of painting the flowers with sugar. If a bee is heading for your beans the last thing you want is for it to be distracted to an easy meal of sugar. If bees are around they will pollinate your beans. If none are around sugar won't create them. Failure to pollinate is not usually down to shortage of insects, it is usually another cause.

 

Check out my 120 broad beans, some are 4 foot tall. Planted 5 or 6 inches apart so they dont need support as they keep each other up.

WITKIEM MANITA
RED EPICURE
BUNYARDS EXHIBITION
MASTERPIECE GREEN LONGPOD

Turbo onions in foreground.

 

They are looking soooo good, its making me hungry looking at them!

 

My broad beans are at exactly the same stage. What spacing are you using on those onions?

 

onions probably 9 inches apart.

 

I am experimenting with putting mine in at 6 inches apart, but using the wide bed principle, they are about 6 inches from each other so the rows are about 6 inches apart, with each plant in each row opposite the gap in the next row. Its an attempt to maximise the yield from a limited amount of land.
They are looking really good at present. The only problem is you cannot go down the rows with a hoe. I have done similar with shallots and it looks like I am going to get a really good crop from a small area of land.

 

Can you hoe diagonally goeff?
Never thought of trying to grow BBs closer together for support. Good idea sawfish.

 

Those broad beans look good Sawfish. Won't be long before you can have some for dinner

We have been picking ours for the last couple of weeks and because we had all that rain recently they are really delicious and tender.

I am amazed at the seemingly growing trend by the TV chefs to peel the beans before they eat them. We always eat the whole bean - anybody else peel before they eat?

 

They are nice peeled, specially in salads. If I bother peeling them then I usually eat the skins separately - but generally I can't be bothered and eat the whole bean. I also always pick some pods when they're small and eat the whole thing, sliced up a bit like runner beans. Haven't got any ready to pick on my plants but I bought some on Friday and they were delicious - so much better than frozen ones!

Liz - my memory isn't too good on these things, but aren't Aqua Dulce recommended as an early cropper? Maybe that's why you're thinking you should have beans by now, i.e. it's not a problem with the plants, just that they aren't ready yet (in the words of the Heineken ad. :D )

 

Aqua Dulce Claudia - husband plants some in October or November for early harvesting. Then he plants more in the spring. This year some of the pods are nearly 20" and have 9 or 10 large beans in them.

I haven't tried eating any pods Claire but I have heard they can be used to make a very nice soup.

 

My neighbour gave me some of his ages ago and after removing the pod I also "shelled" the beans as I thought that was the done thing! Having since tried the other way I have to say I like the blonde method as I find they are much more tender.

I LOVE broad beans and looking at the photo Sawfish posted I think next year I'll try planting some close in a deep pot. Lightly steamed with lashings of butter and cracked black pepper - yum!

TO

 

I'm still waiting... my beans aren't quite so tall as sawfishes, but they look healthy. No aphids on them, but no little beans developing either. Some of the lower flowers are dying off now. :(