Broad Beans: over-wintering advice

[Vegetarian Fox]

Hello from a new forumite (and a second season veg grower)

I planted some cold-resistant broad beans about 4 weeks ago in modules with the intention of planting out for an early crop next spring. They are now about 3 inches high.

Does anyone have any advice for how best to plant out (when, need for protection, etc).

Alternatively would it simply be best to pot on and keep in the cold frame (I don't have a greenhouse, and space is quite limited though)

Thanks in advance

VF

[Flummery]

Welcome to the grapevine, Vegetarian Fox. I always used to sow my over-wintering broad beans directly into the soil and usually had reasonable crops so if you plant out now I'm sure they'll be fine. I really need to protect not so much from frost as from pigeons. If you are in the same boat, net them or maybe better still, fleece them. I've sown in modules this year for the first time, but only a dozen or so seeds. I'm growing The Sutton (a dwarf variety) this year - last year I had Bunyard's Exhibition which took a lot of staking and ended up bigger then me (and I'm 5ft 9"). I intend to fleece them over when they are all through - only been in about 10 days but half are showing. I'm going to sow the rest in spring (when I expect to have more ground free) and see how long it is between harvests.
Best of luck with them.

[Vegetarian Fox]

Thanks Flummery, I think I will plant them out now then so they get well set before the first major frosts and put in some netting. I'm growing Super Aquadulce (which gave me a great spring planted crop last year, although I didn't support them enough as they got to around 6 ft as well)

[greenlung]

Hi - I'm growing Aquadulce too. About 4 weeks ago I sowed some directly into the ground, others in pots : They're all up now, but the pot sown ones got off to a better start. (I've planted them out now) If we get heavy frosts, i'll put cloches over them, but I'm hoping they'll cope with the mild winters we usually get here. I'll support mine better this time too, 'cos last time they flopped about a bit.

[Two_Sheds]

I grew Aquedulce last year, this year I've plumped for Super Aquedulce. They're in the ground, all nice and bushy, 3 inches high.

[moggssue]

Am I too late to sow Aqua D next weekend? Now that I go to and from work in the dark, I haven't had the opportunity in the week and am away visiting family this weekend. Would I be best putting them straight into the ground, or starting them in pots (and if pots, inside or out?). Sorry folks, the hijacker strikes again!!

[Winged one]

I was just going to ask the same Moggssue. I thought you didn't plant Aquadulce til november (first time growing broad beans), so didn't plant them 2 weeks ago but was going to try and get to the plot this week the put them in. Am I too late?

[Flummery]

I think they should be fine now. The danger is of planting them too early - you can end up with tall, soft growth that falls to the first hard frost or high wind. If they start off later they'll not make so much soft growth and will be a bit tougher.

[Alison]

Have just checked last year's diary and found out that I sowed some the second week in November last year. These acutally did better than the ones I sowed in modules and planted out at the same time. Think it was because they were stockier when some high winds hit. However, the best ones I had were sowed early spring and were only about a couple of weeks behind the over wintered ones so this year I'm not bothering.

[SueA]

I sowed some direct last year & covered them with a polythene cloche, unfortunately I didn't get a very big crop as the slugs & snails got to a lot of them before I noticed! I might try 'The Sutton' this year as they are a short variety & don't need much support, haven't got a round to sowing any yet though but think there's still time while the ground is workable (not too wet/frozen).

[moggssue]

Thanks all! Think I'll give it a go then - if only to have something to fulfil my need to get out there despite the dark evenings hehe!

[simonytfc]

Its Probably best to put them into the ground around about now. If the plants get too big and you plant them out, the frosts may damge the foliage more.
Doing it this way will mean the beans put on some good growth in the spring!!

[rustylady]

I've got Sutton and Aquadulce germinating in cells in the cold greenhouse. Daren't put them in the ground yet as germinating seeds get eaten/stolen. They'll go onto the lottie as soon as they're big enough.

[smallblueplanet]

I've got Sutton and Aquadulce germinating in cells in the cold greenhouse. Daren't put them in the ground yet as germinating seeds get eaten/stolen. They'll go onto the lottie as soon as they're big enough.

We grew spring bbeans last year and they were delicious, just not enough of them! Never grown them before so have some questions please....just want the most earliest beans possible!

So.....Why are broadbeans over-wintered? How soon do you get a crop compared to if you plant bbeans in spring? Could they be left overwinter in modules and then planted out very early?

[Snadger]

We grew spring bbeans last year and they were delicious, just not enough of them! Never grown them before so have some questions please....just want the most earliest beans possible!

So.....Why are broadbeans over-wintered? How soon do you get a crop compared to if you plant bbeans in spring? Could they be left overwinter in modules and then planted out very early?

For me,they usually start cropping about 2 to 3 weeks before spring sown beans and give a heavier crop!