Broad Bean Advice

[greenfingers007]

Good Morning all.

Now then here is my concern, I have about twenty broad bean plants growing and doing very very well (I will indeavoiur to put some photos on so you can see my patch) they have come to the ususal 4 sets of flowers and I have pinched the tops out but now I have got side shoots coming off all of them and they seem to be producing flowers and some crops as well. Now my question is will these side shoots strunt the groth of my main crop or will they be o.k.

I planted the same beans last year and did exactly the same and this did not occur.

Any advice most welcome.

[CarolineW]

Hi Greenfingers007,
I'm no expert, but until someone else gets the chance to reply ... I thought that the main point of pinching the tops out was in order to get them to produce side shoots? I did this to mine in order to make them bushier, stronger plants which would produce more. Each of the side shoots is now happily producing bean pods in addition to the original stem. Hope this helps.

[greenfingers007]

Hi CarolineW, that would make sense, I didn't realy know why we pinched the tops out I thought it was to direct the energy to the pods forming. That is fine they are doing fantastic so am looking forward to cooking some.

Many thanks for the advice.

[Serendipity]

Hi, ,most people pinch out the tops to prevent blackfly (as they only like to eat the new shoots at the top). From what I understand you can just leave the side shoots and when the plants have finished cropping you can chop them back to about a foot high and sometimes get a second crop. I've never tried but I read this somewhere.

[burnie]

Apparently you can eat the bits you pinch out,Hugh fearlessly eatsitall said they taste like broad beans,mine tasted bloody awfull.

[Mike and Louise]

We pinch out the tops to get rid of black fly.
Side shoots will be produced but that is a good thing because you get more beans lol.

As long as you feed them regular you will have no problems with stunted growth.

[CarolineW]

The black fly in my garden didn't seem to understand that they were only supposed to want to eat the tender shoots at the top They went ahead and ate most of the plant I only got half of my crop - then I had to give up and pull up the plants as the black fly was spreading. Once I got a sprayer, though (rather than just pouring soap solution with a watering can) I got the black fly largely under control on the rest of the garden. Found out too late what a difference a good sprayer makes for the broad beans. Oh well. Let's see if I have more luck next year.