Broad Beans, Can you explain???

[Ellasmum]

Hiya,

Can anyone please help me to understand the pinching off of the growing tip thing with broad beans?? They are now 10inches tall and have a few flowers....do I pinch it off now and if so are we talking about the main stem???? How much of it??? Sorry if you are fed up with this question...LOL

Sam

[Flummery]

Hi Ellasmum. The reason people pinch out the growing tips of their broad beans is because that's the place the blackfly attack. They go for the tender new shoots. I've rarely had to do this. You might choose to do it to prevent an attack - so there's no vulnerable point - or wait to see of you have any blackfly first. I'd be tempted to let them grow a bit more. It depends on the variety you have but I'd expect a couple of feet high or more and you will limit the number of flowers (and beans) you get it you pinch too soon. Another idea against blackfly is to plant nasturtiums round your beans. Nasturtiums are caviar and chips to a blackfly and they will cluster around them rather than your beans. (That's the theory!)
I would think unless you are growing The Sutton which is fairly dwarf, your beans have a bit of growing to do yet.

[Ellasmum]

Thanks Flummery, I have loads of Dwarf Nasturtiums courtesey of my 6 year old and her green fingers, they are in pots so will put them buy the veg bed.
Sam

[nick the grief]

I've done it on my Autumn sown ones but mainly to stop the buggers getting any taller!! The Crimson flowered ones are about half the height and have flowers on but I'm happy to let them go up a bit more as I'm growing them for seed anyway

[Dobby]

how high do you let express grow

[Flummery]

I always let them all grow to full height - until they stop - unless I get blackfly. They seem not to like the Holderness peninsula!

[Paulottie]

My lottie neighbour believes you should pinch even the autumn sown out to encourage the beans to swell- bit like toms the one at top will never ripen. Apparently, you can eat them, but we tried the other day and weren't impressed, the cooked smell wasn't nice.

A bit taller yet i'd guess Ellasmum. pinch them from top node.