Broad Bean (claudia)

[andyturner1978]

I sowed 25 broad bean seeds late November in pots on the window ledge. All germinated and seem to have grown well.

Last week i began to try "harden off" six of the plants to transplant into a bed on the new lottie. I put the plants out during the day bringing them in on the night, this was done for a week.

I put the plants into their patch, i put canes corner to corner and attached twine in a grid like system to assist and support the plants. The beans were placed into a hole and lined with MPC before replacing the soil.

Two days later and they beans have gone for a burten ! They are black and well and truely dead!

Do you think i was just too early and eager to plant out or have i done something wrong? The broadies are very tall, approx 45cm in height, should i maybe nip off the growing tips of the others to try and make them less gangly and more solid or will this kill them also?

Should i also plant some direct into the soil with MPC to see if they germinate or is it still a little cold to go in direct?

Thanks all....

[Two_Sheds]

They've been all cosy indoors and grown soft sappy, fragile stems. The first time I grew winter broadies I cloched them too, and they all snapped off or died when the cloches came off.

Now I sow them direct and don't protect them, and they do much better.

My indoor ones (in a blowaway, not indoors as such) are 30cm tall, soft and floppy too. I've nipped the tall growth off and they reshoot from the base. I would def. recommend this to you too

[zazen999]

Looks like you happened to place them out just before the coldest 2 nights we've had for weeks.

Broadies don't need to be kept on a window ledge. You can germinate them indoors, but they should be put outside into a cold frame as soon as they are up...otherwise they get weak and as you have found - even with hardening off - can't cope with the very frosty temps.

I'd resow again, and as soon as they show any sign of greenery - get them outside into a coldframe or greenhouse. Or just sow outside or direct now.

[andyturner1978]

Thanks TS, the broadies have had a cut back, guess theres no point in having tall plants if they can hardly stand up and are weak.

Ill be sure to take your advice this time zazen, ive just planted some more and soon as they show their heads ill have them outside to toughen up. Seems odd the more you try to care for them the more harm your doing by making them weak.

Fingers crossed the current ones grow back strong and the new ones perform better outside.

Andy

[zazen999]

Seems odd the more you try to care for them the more harm your doing by making them weak.

Correct!

Remember, plants have evolved to battle themselves through the elements; so grow them as hard as you can so that they aren't mollycoddled from the outset. Esp if you are planning on putting them outside eventually.

[jackie j]

I sowed some of these last november in the ground, not one showed its face especially with the winter we had. I sowed some in the cold greenhouse to replace them recently and transplanted them last week so far so good so fingers crossed.