Broad bean side shoots - to prune or not to prune?

[menai_terrace]

Right, well, my first post on this marvelous forum yielded much useful advice that proved to be absolutely spot on....thanks grapes!

So, I ask for advice once more.....my beloved beans are now about 8-10" high, but many of them are developing side-shoots, coming out just beneath the soil, bearing about 4 leaves each and 1 developing flower bundle.

I'm assuming that this is the same as with tomatoes - side shoots = less vigorous main stem growth....is this the case in broad beans?

So, my main question - do I remove them, or leave them on to go on and produce more yummy beans?

Oooo, also, a couple of my pepper plants (now in a new tiered plastic greenhouse) have developed a sort-of frost-like damage to one or two outer leaves....is this external factors (e.g. wind, strong sun) or lack-of-nutrients caused?

Thank goodness for people who know the answers to such things......;-)

[Two_Sheds]

leave your broadies alone.
Oh, and when you've picked all the beans, you can prune the plant down to about 4 inches or so, and it will regrow, and you may get a 2nd crop later in the summer. If you don't need the ground for summat else.

[Alison]

Can you get a photo posted of your peppers as its difficult to diagnose without seeing them but it sounds like it could be sun burn or similar as it can get very hot in those plastic houses - make sure you unzip in the daytime. If so then they should recover but suggest you give them a bit of shading.

[menai_terrace]

OK two sheds, you caught me. I'm a bit neurotic about my plants, as I have limited space and a lot invested in the carefully chosen plants that I have the space to grow.

So........leave the shoots on? Will they contribute to the main harvest? Or just detract from the main shoot growth?

My peppers - I think you're absolutely right Alison, I hadn't unzipped and lost 2 baby tomatoes and 2 baby chillis that day....poor things cooked in their skins .

I have salvaged what I can and will be more wary of the power of the plastic in future.......

Thanks you two!

[crichmond]

Leave the side shoots on and when the main shoots have been cropped cut the main shoots off and the side shoots will grow on for a second late crop.

[rustylady]

The only thing you cut or pinch off on broad beans is the very top growing tip when it gets infested with blackfly. Leave everything else alone and wait for the beans.

[lisacharley]

could i ask..... do you have to support broad beans with canes?? thanks

[Capsid]

Stick some 3' canes in the ground around your rows and then tie some string between them to form a rectangle around the beans. This will be enough support for them in case of windy weather.

[menai_terrace]

Thanks to all, flowers are beginning to reveal their true character and I will leave the side shoots on to take over from the main stem when the time comes. Which I certainly wouldn't have known to do without the grapevine, so woo!

I'll keep you all updated!

[Garden50273]

could i ask..... do you have to support broad beans with canes?? thanks

It is ideal to support your plant as the stem isn't strong enough to support itself.

[NoPeasForTheWicked]

Are you covering your shoots with anything to keep slugs and pigeons off? I've just planted broad beans and can imagine that anything the slugs don't get as the shoots come up, the pigeons will gobble...I was planning to make a cover with water polypipe and netting in the spring but wonder if I should start a bit earlier? Thanks!

[Two_Sheds]

I've never had a problem with pigeons eating broadies, they're too busy getting at the brassicas