1st broad beans of the year

[Hazel at the Hill]

I ate the first beans today ... tiny, about the size of Cindy Crawford's mole.

Yuk - horrible analogy there, Two_Sheds!

[webby23]

Perhaps there is hope then! I have masses of sweetly scented flowers but no beans. The flowers just seem to wither and fall off but leave no baby beans behind. I'm worried at the lack of bees in general but on my beans in particular at the moment. Can you hand pollinate bb's?

[Newbie]

Mine are in flower & some have teeny tiny beans starting to form - Yay! I too only sowed about a dozen as unsure if like them or not!

[COMPOST CORNER]

pollination

Perhaps there is hope then! I have masses of sweetly scented flowers but no beans. The flowers just seem to wither and fall off but leave no baby beans behind. I'm worried at the lack of bees in general but on my beans in particular at the moment. Can you hand pollinate bb's?

A very good question, and one that has been much on my mind. My BB plants have plenty of flowers but the wind and torrential showers seem to be discouraging pollinating insects.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm worried at the lack of bees in general but on my beans in particular at the moment. Can you hand pollinate bb's?

Nobody believed me when I posted this last year: Holden and Bond observed that the pollen (of a broad bean) is in contact with the stigma 24 hours before the flower opens, therefore ...are capable of selfing (self-pollinating)
------------------------------------

Broad beans will still produce some beans if not insect-pollinated, but insects (bees) will certainly increase the yield.
You will see bees on your beans, but they aren't necessarily pollinating: some bees (and ants) will rob the flower of nectar, without going anywhere near the pollen, so contribute nothing to pollination.


"The pollination of broad bean ... was studied by Free (1966) who concluded that insect pollination greatly increased production of broad beans.
Darwin (1889*) showed that 17 broad bean plants covered with a net to exclude pollinators produced only 40 seeds, whereas 17 exposed plants produced 135 seeds.

(I've lost my source now, but you could Google it)

[Two_Sheds]

they're in mortal danger now

I've just eaten a plate full

[Nicos]

Those look lovely ( my plants are about 8" high)

[Hazel at the Hill]

Those look SO good! yum yum!

Mine will be ages yet.

[Nes]

You LUCKY thing! Mine are still a few weeks off.

[onefivenine]

I've just eaten a plate full

Wow-ee! I am so jealous - they look great!

[Paulottie]

You've beaten me to it by a day, Harvesting first bowl of Nov sown Aqua Dulche's tomorrow.

[Scottishnewbie]

found this recipe for broad beans & thought I'd try it tomorrow. Broad Bean And Roasted Pepper Recipe | Food | Channel4.com

[gojiberry]

Have loads of flower on the plants especially the Sutton, haven't actually looked for beans yet. Am doing a daily check for the dreaded black fly but touch wood no sign yet. My peas are doing better than the broadies and have pods on them but not started to swell out yet.

Ian

[Lizanne]

pollination?!

Can we intervene with the pollination thingy? My other half has an obsession with pollinating my chilli plants (when they're inside I get this, when they're outside I simply humour him) However - is it possible to just get out there and mix up that pollen???

[Paulottie]

Grow some bee attracting flowers around the place. Life is too short to be pollinating broadbeans by paintbrush.

Although, I am told by a very experienced beekeeper that honey bees find it difficult to open broadbean flowers and it is mainly the bumbles that pollinate them.

Never bothered with chillies for that matter...always have enough chillies.

Infact with the possible exception of peaches or maybe seed production what is the point?