Broad Beans for Early Crop

[Farmer_Gyles]

I'm going to grow broad beans over the winter, hoping for an early crop - I want the beans out of the ground end May / early June so I can plant the brassicas

We're not that keen on broad beans, so we don't mind ripping them up when they're still producing - it's something to go in the ground over the winter, in what would otherwise be an empty bed - next year's brassicas are far more important

I have Aquadulce Claudia and Bunyards Exhibition

Any tips for an early crop from these?

I'm ready to sow the seeds right now - I'll be sowing them in cells under cover, hoping to plant out within a few weeks ....

The bed I'll be planting them in was used for courgettes this year ...

[Two_Sheds]

You don't want to sow them too early. If you do, they'll put on lots of lush topgrowth that will be killed by the frosts & gales.

Ideally, they want to only be about 4" high when they stop growing for the winter. I sow mine in November

[Farmer_Gyles]

what about if i put them under a cloche for the winter .... or maybe 2lt coke bottles with the bottoms cut off to use on each one?

[veggiechicken]

I've been thinking about trying some dwarf ones in pots in the greenhouse over winter.

[Florence Fennel]

As TS says, they're better sown in November, they'll survive the winter then and if you're only using them as a kind of green manure, you can pull them up when you're ready to plant other things. They're as tough as old boots and can stand whatever the winter throws at them.

[Two_Sheds]

what about if i put them under a cloche for the winter ...

Well, the cloche has to come off at some point, and that's where the trouble starts. I been there, done that. Got lovely tall broadies earlier than anyone else, then off comes the cloche in March, and the winds just destroyed them.

I also tried an early crop in the GH

It really is better, and easier all round, if you just delay sowing until November

[northepaul]

Yep I would go with November too, esp as your (kind of) down this way where its suppoed to be warmer...note I said supposed!

You might be able to swap them (the broadies) in May with someone for something you like at your allotment site?