Broad Beans - Grow Your Own Wants Your Advice!

[Helenclare]

My broadbeans were beautiful when I planted them out, had raised them in root trainers and they were very strong and lush plants. They are now looking like lace doileys round the edges and they are going black along the edges too and the lower leaves are turning yellow. I am not a happy bunny to say the least. Is picking the weevils off the only option? I have already squashed 10 red lily beatles in my garden this evening !!

[heebiejeebie]

I planted some aquadulce claudia BBs in October and they were flowering in December. Way too early for our mild microclimate I guess! I started them off in paper pots (thanks WiZer!) and transplanted them in a staggered row when they were a few inches tall. They survived the winter (most of them - I had 15 plants, lost about 3 and sacrificed one for an A-level biology practical at work).
Now the bees are starting to wake up, there are a few pods forming.

I have another dozen germinating in the plastic planthouse and waiting to go in the lottie.

[multiveg]

I have read that sowing broadies in october/november are less likely to get (affected by) blackfly than spring sown ones. Some suggest pinching out the top couple of leaves and stem when first beans have set to help prevent infestations of blackfly. These can be cooked like spinach (not tried it).
Weevils on large plants don't cause tooo much hassle, but on the smaller seedlings of peas and beans, well, decimated. I wonder if the warm winter has aided the survival of these evil-weevils.
After the crop has ended, you could chop the stem down to just above ground level leaving the roots in and you may get another burst of life from them for second cropping.

[McPherson]

Flowers but no beans

I planted a dwarf variety in October. We have had lots of flowers for a few weeks, but not a sign of a bean. What is likely to be the problem?

[multiveg]

I planted a dwarf variety in October. We have had lots of flowers for a few weeks, but not a sign of a bean. What is likely to be the problem?

Wherebe the bees?

[Carrot]

I think 'Witkiem Manita' is the tastiest and most reliable variety and I always start them off in rootrainers, then plant them deep so that the mice are not attracting by the bean still attached to the stem.

[Paulottie]

From then Autumn sown it seems the aqua dulce look more impressive, taller and vigorous but sutton have a lot more flower if it all sets it will be an impressive yield.

[Garlic Butter]

As ever I either plant too close or too early and last year planted my Broadbeans in October which meant they were far too advanced and tall,meaning that in the Jan/Feb. gales they took a real battering. But we tied them up,gave them a bit of protection, and lo and behold we are picking them now

[suee]

I planted a short row of 'aquadulce' in autumn and kept them under a cloche through very hard frosts in winter (-12). The soil had been enriched with just leaf mould. Just a little greenfly which was easily removed with washing up liquid in February. We are eating them now in early May and they are delicious - followed on by some successional planting to extend the crop. They are truly the easiest thing to grow and I'm thinking of freezing some baby beans at the same time as eating the yummy fresh ones.

[Garlic Butter]

Hi I didn't think you would have -12 in the South West of France, but you live and learn. I totally agree Broad Beans are so easy to grow, so productive and so tasty that they are definatly amongst my favourites

[peanut]

I planted The Sutton yesterday! My theory is that a seed will want to grow so fingers crossed they'll do something, just a bit later in the season!