potatoes and broad beans as companions

[AlisonW]

I have planted broad beans along with potatoes for a couple of years now and it can work a treat. However, the first year I put the beans with early potatoes, which did not work well, as the beans were not ready by the time I was digging up the potatoes. So I now plant them with second earlies and early maincrops.
I tried planting them in a separate row between the potato rows, but I find it works better putting the beans between the potatoes in the same row. So I plant a pair of bean seeds alternately with the seed potatoes.
Another reason why it works better with second earlies and maincrops, is that they tend to take a bit longer to come through, which gives the beans a better chance of growing up and away from the potato haulms. I use quite tall beans like Green Windsor - I wouldn't use a short one like The Sutton. I run a string-on-sticks along both sides of the rows for support once the beans are up and coming.
My potato crops have been badly affected by (a) slugs and (b) drought the last couple of years, so the leafage was not particularly vigorous, which benefitted the beans. If it was a good potato crop, the beans might suffer a bit from the competition, but I regard any bean crop as a bonus, given that the main purpose of the bed is to grow potatoes!
Rotation: I follow my potatoes with onions, leeks or brassicas. There are beans in the bed before the potatoes, but only French beans, which I reckon are different enough from broad beans not to be a problem.
Alison W.

[Poledragon]

Welcome to the Vine Alison, and thanks for that tip. I'll pop my beans in with my Saxon second earlies. I think I've got some Sutton in y seed box, along with a Windsor, so will experiment

That's assuming I manage to get out in the garden this week...

[Dobby]

Ill give it ago if they are early spuds then will they be ready before the beans?
or at the same time

[serenity]

I believe spring sown broad beans take about 16 weeks from planting to harvesting. can anyone let me know if this is wrong?

[Hazel at the Hill]

I believe spring sown broad beans take about 16 weeks from planting to harvesting. can anyone let me know if this is wrong?

14 wks according to Hessayon

[Dobby]

The Broad Bean Express that i have just put in peat pots says sow Feb to April
Harvest June to August
It also says as the plants grow to support with short canes and string I did not think Broad beans needed suport

[smallblueplanet]

This sounds an interesting use of space. We don't grow broadbeans yet, so maybe next year. - I've just been told maybe we could do it this year! LOL!

AlisonW how do you plant your spuds then? We normally dig a hole and drop them in and earth up as needed after that. What sort of spacing for 2nd's/early main crop spuds?

[Telford Grower]

Hi Serenity - I also have Sarah Raven's book and like you (with not much space) was very interested in this idea of using broad beans with the earlies (in the book, she specifically states first earlies).

I've never grown either of these before and I think, like you, I'm struggling to fully understand the concept

If we plant our first earlies at the beginning of March, planting under earthed up soil, I presume the whole idea of using the broad beans as a nurse crop will be to therefore plant these at the same time i.e. beginning of March as these will come through quicker than our tatties?

From what I have read, planting first earlies at the beginning of March will mean they are ready for lifting from mid June onwards (?), therefore if, as Sarah states in the book, the beans can be cropped and removed before the potatoes need more room, they must be ready for picking around early - mid May? This seems a bit early to me ???

I think I will give it a try and learn from whatever happens but was hoping someone could confirm that if the 2 crops were in "competition" for room at any stage, that potatoes would come good as out of the two, I really want the tatties to succeed?

[smallblueplanet]

If you crop your spuds before the beans won't that affect the beans growing?

We're gonna try the beans between the 2nd early/mains, in the same row. Then when the beans have been, just cut them down and leave the roots in the soil.

[serenity]

sarah raven has a lot to answer for maybe I should sent a message via the web site an ask her to elaborate

[denise]

i for one would be interested in her reply, because if this works sounds a great use of space.