When Do You Plant Out Broadies ?

[snohare]

In the past, I have always planted Broad beans directly into the soil. This year however, I have them in pots on my windowsills, coming away nicely. Some I aim to sell, the others I aim to use myself; the numbers are not yet decided, it depends on sales figures !
My question is, do I need to wait to plant them out, or since they are hardy, can I put them out as soon as I see their cute l'il heads poking up ? Do they need hardening off ? The weather here is warm enough for direct sowing...

[Flummery]

You can plant them out any time now but I would harden them off first. Give them 10 - 14 days of being outside all day but back inside at night. The plant itself may be hardy but if you raise it indoors (which I often do myself) you need to accustom it to the harder life - it's been brought up as a softy!

[Alison]

I sowed mine back on 16 Feb in the conservatory at home. After hardening off, they were all planted out between 25 and 29 March (by which time they were desperate to be planted out as they were quite big). They're now flowering quite happily so fingers crossed they'll be forming beans soon. Anyway, the point I'm making is that they've thrived since then so, as long as you harden off, yours will be fine.