Broad bean joy!

[piskieinboots]

don't think your s'posed to pinch out until you get the first flowers

that is my understand also, I'd go with the staking as well - I grew Suttons this year so I'm thinking small here

[lainey lou]

I grew suttons last year as I didn't have much space, they were lovely compact plants and cropped surprisingly well.

[Flummery]

My last year's were Bunyard's Exhibition - taller than me and I'm 5 ft 9". Whether you need to stake or not depends on the variety - this year I'm growing the Sutton - a foot or so tall! Got sick of tying them up in high winds!

[piskieinboots]

taller than me and I'm 5 ft 9"

I'd never reach the top

[rustylady]

I sewed my broad bean seeds under cloches in November last year, and they are about two feet tall now!

I'm worried that they are too tall and wondered if I should pinch them out to about half height? What does everyone think? Will I lose all my early beans? Or will they benefit from some radical hairdressing??

No, don't pinch them out, broad beans are hardy and you should be able to remove the cloches soon. What variety are they? Some may need support.

[ChocClare]

Congrats Lainey, it's great when they come through isn't it? Mine appeared on January 1st, a real happy new year present, and a big surprise as it had been so cold and my experimental bed in which I planted them looked like a big cold lump of mud with odd bits of grass in it at the time. The really spooky thing was that I bought them from the seed and feed shop in Ringwood (local market town) - one of those nice, old-fashioned shops that sell absolutely everything including broad beans, shallots, onions and garlic by weight in envelopes rather than seed packets - and the woman said to me, plant these on Bonfire Night (November 5th) and they will come up on New Year's Day. And they did! Wooooooooooooooo..... I'm getting all my seeds from her!

[Hazel at the Hill]

.... but I love broadies and being stuck for space last year grew them far too close together, but they all did fine and I had a great crop from them. They were up a big metal totem thingy, mixed in with sweet peas, and about 3" apart (I know, I know!!) but gave me a great crop, with no pests or diseases or nasties of any kind....

It sounds like a Plan, and I can always blame you if they don't thrive, Sue!

[oldie]

Broad bean joy

Reading this makes me realize how lucky I am here in Kent. This is my first attempt at gardening. I read about using loo rolls and used these to start off my broad beans late Oct early Nov. time. They are now flowering!

[lainey lou]

Reading this makes me realize how lucky I am here in Kent. This is my first attempt at gardening. I read about using loo rolls and used these to start off my broad beans late Oct early Nov. time. They are now flowering!

Wow! Thats Fab! Will try that this autumn.

[moggssue]

It sounds like a Plan, and I can always blame you if they don't thrive, Sue!

Oh yes, blame away Hazel - my shoulders are broad (only metaphorically but it still counts in a virtual world haha!). Good luck - let me know what happens.

[Pumpkin Becki]

No, don't pinch them out, broad beans are hardy and you should be able to remove the cloches soon. What variety are they? Some may need support.

They are Bunyards Exhibition. I grew them last summer and was really pleased, but I grew them a bit close together so they suffered from chocolate spot.

I probably put this batch in a bit early while it was fairly mild, so they got off to a flying start! I thought if I cut them back they might shoot again, but be a bit stockier. I guess not from everyone's responses.

Think I might sew another row next month as a bit of insurance!

[Kayt]

[, plant these on Bonfire Night (November 5th) and they will come up on New Year's Day.

My Dad gave me a packet of free broad bean seeds from a gardening mag and told me the same - and it's true!! I too was so excited. This is my first year of growing on my new allotment and it really is great fun.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Good luck - let me know what happens.

Still dithering on planting distances of the two-to-a-pot broadies, but in order to simplify further plantings out, tonight I've sown the crimson flowered ones 1 to a pot ('av seed packet contents = 27' - I got 32, 'av seed germination 90%' - we shall see!)