broad bean question

[Poddington Pea]

I'm growing bunyards and suttons mixed with garlic and onions. They've been in over winter and have produced around 20-30 pods per plant and are still flowering, although alot fewer flowers now. I know it's a different variety, but they certainly have not been affected by the garlic.
Maybe it's time to cut your losses and try another location/variety next year (or don't bother! They're not that great really!)
x

[BroadRipple]

TwoSheds, Shadylane, I think you're right. painful to pull up something which still might produce a little more, but as my garden's so titchy I really could use the space. and I do love my beans (meraviglia de venise and cosse violette, as it happens - which do you like?) so maybe it's time to just plant more of those? Thanks both for your help.
Am also always curious about HOW it's known that e.g. alliums and legumes aren't happy together. Surely so many other factors involved...but then maybe I'm being narrow minded. However, so little time, so little space, methinks life is just too short to worry about hostile vegetable neighbours (though you should see next door).

[Shadylane]

Companion planting's one of those things that's not been scientifically proven, though lots swear by it. But you're right life's too short to over think, just bung it in and hope for the best

[salilah]

My BBs produced quite a few flowers earlier in the year, but stopped early - and no, I'm not expecting any more flowers on any of the existing plants, so I'm eating the pods plant by plant and pulling them up
The other thing you might want to try is putting some sort of string frame around them - I think you mentioned they flopped? My OH created a wonderful cat's-cradle of strings at 3 levels which really helped the BB keep growing up
S

[BroadRipple]

Salilah, I tried a cat's cradle too but am hopeless at these things and yes, flopping a-go-go.
that's v helpful, thank you.

Shadylane, I agree completely. Believe in it in theory, but with 3 square metres I can't get too worried about mild inter-species dislikes.

[kingkano]

They dont seem to do well without lots of sun. Last year I had them in one of my shadier beds and found the same as you. Very straggly not many leaves, not many pods - about 4 a plant or something and very small ones. This year I put them in the sunniest spot and the difference is astounding. Had about a dozen pods per plant. Same spacing (8" apart in a square 4x4 plants). The variety was express.

[chris]

Had some delivered from our veg box last night.. used them in an omelete. Still not that keen on them, pretty tasteless to me?

Though, that said apparantly you can make fritters from the pod - I'll see if I can dig out the recipe [I didn't facy it though, the pods didn't look too appetising ]

Here we are: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ods_59277.html

[zazen999]

Broadies lose their taste soon after picking - there is nothing so lovely as a freshly picked warm potato, pea and broad bean salad. Yum.

[Florence Fennel]

Delicious yes, but a bit fiddly to get at. Unless there's an easy way and I'm missing it, which knowing me could be the case.

[TallGirl]

"Broad beans interplanted with garlic".......... some say that beans and alliums should be kept apart. Not sure if others here have a view on this.

This came up a few times when I was reading up for a piece on companion planting for our last allotment newsletter. One poster reckoned that the antiseptic action of the alliums was bad for the beans' symbiotic bacteria.

Then again, a few posters here grow them together with no problems. Time for a controlled trial!