broad beans! pinch out?

[jimbojetset]

woot!
what a difference a day makes
yesterday it seemed that flowers were just falling off
today all the dead flowers are revealing tiny little pods!
so what now, when should a broad bean plant be pinched out? my winner so far has about eight pods on it
also should i start to feed? if so what?

[Anemone]

I was told to pinch them out as soon as the first pod had formed and to steam the tips for a tasty veg.

[Snadger]

The main rteason for pinching out tips is because blackfly find them iresistable!
I normally wait unntil I see any blackfly then pinch out. If no blackfly appear I don't bother!

[Alison]

Same as Snadger - last year didn't need to at all so this year will probably be an infestation year!

[jimbojetset]

thanks everyone!
do they need a feed?

[Snadger]

thanks everyone!
do they need a feed?

They fixate nitrogen on their roots so I wouldn't bother feeding them!

'Grow em ard' is my motto!

[Victoria26]

Im growing some crimson flowered this year - I have a 6 foot obilisk but they are about 15-20 inches high and starting to flower. Will they need this iobilisk or should i remove it?

I thought they'd grow really tall - maybe these are dwarf ones??

[jimbojetset]

oh yeah! rhizobium and what not, they must be sorted for N, but what about the P the K and the micronutrients
will just water 'em unless anyone says otherwise!
cheers snadge!

[gojiberry]

I would remove your obilisk victoria as I have never had my broadies reach reach 6ft. If they have started to flower I would not envisage them getting much higher than the current 15/20 inches. They may need staking but it depends on what formation you are growing them in.

Ian

[Victoria26]

great cheers for the advise!