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  • Broad beans

    Hello... me again with another legume question...

    Should I be expecting every flower on the broad bean plant to develop into a bean? Would they do well without masses of pollinating insects?

    The reason I ask is because I poked at a withered flower this morning and it fell off. I think I was expecting a baby bean or something. I've only ever seen a couple of bumble bees around. I live in a new housing development, and there ain't that much wildlife around here, apart from aphids...
    http://www.weeveggiepatch.blogspot.com

  • #2
    Not all flowers will develop into beans. But they also don't need masses of insects. Just because you haven't seen any bees, doesn't mean they aren't doing their job.

    I have this image now of hordes of bees hiding round the corner waiting for you to disappear.
    Mark

    Vegetable Kingdom blog

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    • #3
      Broad beans.

      I totally agree. Try planting some sweet peas nearby to encourage bees and other polinaters.
      There's pleasure sure in being mad that only madmen know - Anon

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      • #4
        Thanks! Lol! Sweetpeas are taunting me this year. 2 packets and not one germinated! I'm going to pop into the garden centre this weekend to buy some sweetpeas and nasturtiums.
        http://www.weeveggiepatch.blogspot.com

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        • #5
          My Sutton dwarf broad beans have got lots of flowers now, I counted 36 open already on this plant.

          How long between now and seeing the first bean do you think?

          My Blog My flickr

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          • #6
            Originally posted by onefivenine View Post
            My Sutton dwarf broad beans have got lots of flowers now, I counted 36 open already on this plant.

            How long between now and seeing the first bean do you think?

            The flowers only last a few days, but the beans themselves take a fair while to get big enough to eat.

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            • #7
              Thanks Andrea.
              Some of these flowers are nearly a week open.
              How long before a pod will start to appear? I keep checking them just in case.
              Also wondering how many pods The Sutton dwarf tends to produce.
              My Blog My flickr

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              • #8
                I too am growing sutton dwarf and have tons of flowers. The point I wanted to make was, those flowers smell absolutely beautiful! I keep getting a wiff of them from all areas in my garden. At first I didn't know where the smell was coming from, but got down and dirty and stuck my nose right in there! Blooming gorgeous. I can't get enough of that scent - is this a new addiction I ask myself?

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by WeeGarden View Post
                  Thanks! Lol! Sweetpeas are taunting me this year. 2 packets and not one germinated! I'm going to pop into the garden centre this weekend to buy some sweetpeas and nasturtiums.
                  Hi WeeGarden, Sweetpeas have a very hard shell and need to be soaked for 24hrs before sowing. Mine grew really quick - it might be worth given them another go if you haven't soaked the seeds.

                  Clare

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