Seed saving.

[The Reverend]

Good morning all, i'm sure this has come up many times before, but i will ask again.
I'm going to grow some Grando violetto broad beans this year, and i'm hoping to save some seed.
The question is, what distance would i have to grow them from other broad beans to keep them true, or is this a bit of a challenge with bees about.
I know the old boys always used to save there own seed, would this have come true each year or would it have varied slightly.

What a gorgeous morning by the way.

[muckdiva]

Morning Reverend!

According to the books, there has to be quite a distance between varieties of broad beans, or you could shield them with net curtains, fleece or the like, but apparently you don't want to do that year after year as it cuts down natural pollination. If like me, you don't want to bother with that, you can grow your beans in a block, and just take seed from the centre plants. Bees would be unlikely to go straight to the centre of the block without visiting the outer plants first.

Hope that's helpful. A great book on the subject is Back Garden Seed Saving by Sue Stickland
Amazon.co.uk: Back Garden Seed Saving: Keeping Our Vegetable Heritage Alive: Books: Sue Stickland,Sue Kendall
I'd try and borrow it from the library, as the Amazon price is currently rather high!

[Seahorse]

I was going to recommend that book too. Worth Googling for an affordable one - a few sites seem to have it for bewtween £10 - £15, plus it looks like there's a new printing due any minute.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'm getting round this problem at the Hill with my crimson flowered broad beans by keeping half a dozen plants back (which I'll just grow for seed) and grow these well away from other broadies in my mums garden so that they don't cross pollinate.

[The Reverend]

Thank you all for your replies, they are very helpful, i will look out for a copy of that book.

I suppose i could grow some in the church yard, you don't get too much veg growing in there.

Thanks again.