When to crop broad beans

[Mr Griff]

Hi,
We are growing broad beans for the first time this year and they seem to be doing quite well. Some of the pods are upto 6 inches long now, but i dont know when to start to pick them.
I have read that they are at their best when young, before the skin hardens etc. but do the beans have to be a certain size?
I opened one last night and the beans are about this size of large peas.
Any advice would be welcome.
Thanks
Steve G

[jacob marley]

Hi the pods will hang down when the beans are big enough and heavy that is what i work on good luck jacob

[Flummery]

It's entirely down to your own taste really. I'd want them a bit bigger than this but not too much. Don't let them get so big that the pods start to go a bit brownish and you get a black scar on the side of the bean (is it the hilem? Did I dream that?). At this stage they are tough.

[Two_Sheds]

I have picked nearly all mine now. Got 2 carrier bags full of Super Aquedulce today, 1st Supers,13.5.08 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[andyhol]

If the pods carry the shape of the beans inside pick them. Some may not be really full but they will all be tender! The other way to tell/ guess what,s inside is to gently press where you think the beans are inside the pod. If the feel is firm the likelyhood is theere is a firm bean in situ.

[FoxHillGardener]

You can also eat them whole, pod and all, when they're still small. Mine are only 2-3 inches long and pencil thick at the moment, but I keep pinching them off and eating them there and then when I walk past. My other half doesn't like them so not that much point in any making it to the kitchen anyway

[greenlung]

Hi - We picked and ate the first of out Aquadulce yesterday - they really swell towards the end.