Broad bean seed saving

[veggiechicken]

The HSL advises "To save your own seed, grow a single variety only"
Q.1 Having already sown Suttons outdoors, how far away could I sow another variety to avoid cross pollination.
Q.2 Last year I grew Martock, Gloster Bounty and Crimson Flowered but only managed to save seeds from the first two. The bean seeds are completely different but how can I tell whether they are still true to type? They were in different parts of the garden.

[Jeanied]

Oooh - I have just asked about the same thing on the HSL thread! I'll be interested in finding out the answer!

[veggiechicken]

Yes, I just noticed that too! Between us we should get an answer! I've never had seeds from HSL before but I read the catalogue as saying that I could order 6 varieties of vegetables and took that to mean 6 different veg.

[Jeanied]

Ah, well I think that is the answer for me then, I will grow whatever in isolation in my back garden as I don't think there are any grow-your-owners within a good few streets of here! The lottie will have the commercial seed for eating.
Now which one to choose!

[gan heather]

Not about saving broad bean seed, but about having to choose 6 different varieties from the HSL. I don't think that's true (unless they've changed the rules). Last year I requested (and received) 2 beans (amongst other things). I got out my old catalogue, but the rules page is the same page as the order form, so that's gone.

[veggiechicken]

Perhaps it revolves around the definition of "Varieties". The Welcome page says there are 25 new varieties and 162 varieties in total. The Contents Page lists the Varieties under their main categories, beetroot, broad bean etc. Perhaps we need the advice of an expert - cue Zaz! Help please!!!

[gojiberry]

you can have any six from the book, so if you want six different beans that should be alright. I know that in the past I have ordered two different varieties of the same veg.

Ian

[zazen999]

You can choose what you like out of the catalogue. If your second/third choices are not the same veg as the first, then just write it in - the veg type and variety. See note 2 on the 'what you need to know' page.

For broad beans, I'd isolate. They are quite tricky to get to go black, so I'd not want to grow them and then get to the end and find out the next year that they crossed. I'd put a net over them from just before flowering to the end of flowering. The pods need to go black before the are ready to harvest for seed - so they look unsightly for a while as well.

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Ian and Zaz. Good news about not being restricted to one of each veg type.
Thanks also for the advice about broadies. With the Martock and Gloster Bounty I only had a few seeds of each so planted them in odd spots in the garden out of the way and then, more or less, forgot about them!! When I found them again, collapsed and lost amongst other plants like chard, they had miraculously gone black of their own accord.
The Martocks are small and brown whilst the Glosters are much larger and pale green. I'd like to grow them again this year, since I have a few more seeds of each now, but wanted to keep them as pure as possible. Also didn't want to risk mongrelizing them with any other beans that I may grow (using a lot more care this year - promise!).