Broad Beans

[gojiberry]

Just wondering how peoples broad beans are doing in this prolonged cold spell. Has been down as low as -14 here.
I had some lovely plants out on the lottie but at 18in high I knew they had got to tall to survive the winter. Went out today and they are rows of a black mush so will just dig them in when the weather improves. It was my intention to use them as a green manure, but it is still disappointing. I have another 50 plants just poking through in pots in the cold greenhouse and they are still alive. Will plant another 50 if the weather changes in the next couple of months.

Ian

[Two_Sheds]

at 18in high I knew they had got to tall to survive the winter. Went out today and they are rows of a black mush

Oh dear.
Still, you kept some back, and they should regrow. Did you plant Aquedulce?

[stella]

Mine seem to flop then stand up again depending on the weather?

[Loudbarker1]

-14 seems pretty cold. They rpobably just couldn't stand it.

Last year (in the very cold April weather) my autumn planted broad beans surrvived more or less but there was definate damage and black marks on many of them.

This yera I planted way too late, only 3 weeks ago in a warm house in loo rolls of compost . They are two or three inches high now. Planting them outside under 2 feet of snow was out of the question so I transplanted them to a cold house instead- around freezing I think. Next question is how to ensure pollinatiohn - any oen got any ideas about that?

TIA

[Two_Sheds]

Next question is how to ensure pollinatiohn - any oen got any ideas about that?

They won't be flowering until May, when there will be plenty of flies & bees around

[jackie j]

Put mine in a while ago and not even showing their faces yet. Been too frosty on the bottom plot, it doesnt get much sun this time of the year.

[arpoet]

I've never had sucess overwintering broad beans. My allotment gets more that its fiar share of snow and frost being northwest facing. Last year i tried over wintering them in the greenhouse.. Disaster... so i will so inside in spring and like i used to do and harden off in the coldframes. They soon catch up.
Roger

[Loudbarker1]

They won't be flowering until May, when there will be plenty of flies & bees around

Of course, but the beans will be in a cold house. Is it your experience that pollinators will not be put off by that?

[Two_Sheds]

i will so inside in spring ...They soon catch up

They do. I like a challenge though, so always put some autumn ones in

Of course, but the beans will be in a cold house.

Not in May they won't be. I assume you'll be planting them out in March/April?

[Loudbarker1]

"Not in May they won't be. I assume you'll be planting them out in March/April? "

I wasn't intending to. I assumed tat an attempt to transplant would damage the root run. They are now planted, with their loo roll "pots" in border soil in the cold house.

[Liza]

I`m lost......inside/ outside / cold house/ root disturbance

Mine are out on the lottie 3 inch high couple of black leaves but ok so far

[solway cropper]

Can't see mine at the moment.....covered in snow. Last year they survived -15 but were set back and got overtaken by the spring sown ones. I don't know why I bother with overwintering broad beans, must be the masochist in me

[Two_Sheds]

They are now planted, with their loo roll "pots" in border soil in the cold house.

Ah, OK.
Usually they're in pots first to get going, then planted outside in early spring. Is that a cold-frame or a cold greenhouse that you have?
Either way, don't let the beans get too warm come March: they prefer the cold.

When you open up to ventilate, the bees & flies will come to help with pollination (although broadies are self-pollinating, you get a much improved crop with insects)

[Loudbarker1]

"When you open up to ventilate, the bees & flies will come to help with pollination (although broadies are self-pollinating, you get a much improved crop with insects) "

This is what I had hoped. Thank you for your help. Have you done it this way yourself?

[Two_Sheds]

Have you done it this way yourself?

No, I don't need to grow broadies under cover: we rarely get very cold or prolonged frosts (excepting this year & last, of course)

If you start them in March they don't need protection anyway