Should my broad beans be flowering already?

[Shadylane]

That there would be the pea/bean weevil. Little chuffs got my peas and beans last year. If the plants are a decent size they should be okay. My peas didn't do well last year but that could've been due to other reasons. If you get a bad infestation they can mess things up (I've heard) but last year most folks on here said they do little harm. As for the ants, sounds like you may have aphids already. They'll be farming them for the secretions.

[Alison]

My crimson flowered spring sown ones in the polytunnel are flowering but the ones outside are quite a lot behind yet.

[dublinveg]

Early flowering broad beans

Went into the garden and noticed that my autumn sown broad beans have started to flower. Can't remember from last year as lost most of them! Is this too early?

I found your post from years ago. Our broad beans also flowered in March this year after the mild dry winter. Never over wintered them before. Even now they are not very tall. Someone advised us (i think incorrectly) in march to pinch out the tips. Curious to know... Can you remember please how your crop turned out in the end? Anxious father... Thank you!

[marchogaeth]

Hi, Self-raising hasn't posted on here for quite a while so you possibly won't get an answer from her/him.
My beans in the tunnel are very short this year and I was just going to turn them in for manure but then they started flowering and the bees started coming so I have left them. The good thing is that the beans will shoot up more stems from the bottom so even if you first ones aren't so good other stems will follow. If you are worried about pollination, should insects be in short supply just rub your hands gently up the flower stem although the wind will probably be enough outside. I think the pinching out is done with summer crops to discourage black fly. You can just pinch the tops out and cook them and of course you can eat the whole beans when they are small - under 10cm.

[Dorothy rouse]

My November sown BBeans, are all in flower and attracting the bees already, so hoping for an early crop.

[dublinveg]

Hi, Self-raising hasn't posted on here for quite a while so you possibly won't get an answer from her/him.
My beans in the tunnel are very short this year and I was just going to turn them in for manure but then they started flowering and the bees started coming so I have left them. The good thing is that the beans will shoot up more stems from the bottom so even if you first ones aren't so good other stems will follow. If you are worried about pollination, should insects be in short supply just rub your hands gently up the flower stem although the wind will probably be enough outside. I think the pinching out is done with summer crops to discourage black fly. You can just pinch the tops out and cook them and of course you can eat the whole beans when they are small - under 10cm.

Thanks very helpful!