The end of the road for broad beans?

[Jono]

I've gone from growing in an allotment to my garden this year, which has reduced my growing space a lot, but at the same time I'm more on top of things than I've ever been.

As space is limited, its really focused the mind as to what I want to grow. My broadies always get blackfly, and I'm harvesting peas and mangetout before them this year so I'm not going without. Analysing the space used by peas, mangetout (up wigwams) and broad beans vs the yield, the broadies don't fare well.

Has anyone else been through this process, and suddenly decided that growing some veg just doesn't stack up any more?

[stella]

Yes, I decided what I like to eat and stick to that with one experiment every year, works for me

[Feral007]

I'm determined to get some broad and other beans. I'm still working on it. But then space is not such an issue here.

[PyreneesPlot]

Spuds - just growing a half bed of pink fir apple this year.
My broadies have been outstanding this year, which is good as everything else is pants! We've had four mangetout...

[chefgage]

This is the first year I have tried growing broadbeans. As I grow all my veg in my relatevly small garden the drive way has now turned into a temporary allotment

[Two_Sheds]

My broadies always get blackfly,

from a spring sowing, or an autumn sowing?

(autumn ones are tough as old boots by the time the blackfly comes, and are less susceptible)

[Jono]

Spring sowing Two_Sheds. Have read this recently actually; thinking of trying overwintering for the first time.

I've gone easy on the potatoes too. Planted a small row of pink firs as I've found them the most productive potato in a smaller space.

[solway cropper]

If you grow a dwarf variety of broad bean such as 'The Sutton' you can get quite a few in a small space. I've grown them in containers for years with excellent result.

[veggiechicken]

Yes, I decided what I like to eat and stick to that with one experiment every year, works for me

I stick to lots of experiments and growing one thing that I like
Only joking!! I don't grow swede or aubergines. I just don't like swede and have never been able to grow a decent aubergine. This may be my last year for onions too as they don't seem to grow any larger than the sets I plant initially.

[Two_Sheds]

If you grow a dwarf variety

If you have a small plot, it makes more sense to make use of vertical space ie grow tall/climbing varieties

[Barking Postlethwaite]

I have the opposite problem in that my attempts to fill the allotment have the potential to produce gluts of ridiculous proportions. If the slugs don't get them (big if) I have enough spuds to open a chip shop, and I've been giving away mangetout for a couple of weeks (yes, mine started well before broad beans too). There is going to be a serious surplus of leeks and onions of various sorts as well, so some inventive pickling tactics will need to be developed later in the year.

In terms of excluding things, I've never bothered with cauliflower and don't do much in the way of cabbage either; the pests and predators they attract don't seem worth it.

[Two_Sheds]

There is going to be a serious surplus of leeks and onions

Are you freezing any of it? Leek soup is delish and freezes well

[Two_Sheds]

don't do much in the way of cabbage either; the pests and predators they attract don't seem worth it.

I agree with you, but I recently decided that I like summer cabbage raw in a salad, better than lettuce, so I grow a few of those under double debris-netting
I don't bother with sprouts at all, they always blow, end up with every pest going, and take up too much space for too long

[WPG]

I don't bother with sprouts at all, they always blow, end up with every pest going, and take up too much space for too long

I'm so glad it's not just me. Sprouts have been my big failure this year, either going to seed or getting cabbage root fly (despite being collared from day 1). For my size of my plot they just take up too much space anyhow.

Jono, I'd definitely recommend overwintered broad beans rather than giving them up altogether. In a normal season these should be ready by June, which gives you time to re-use the space for something else. The aqualdulce which I sowed last November are just laden with beans at the moment (a bit late due to the weather) I'm really pleased with them.

[Barking Postlethwaite]

I agree with you, but I recently decided that I like summer cabbage raw in a salad, better than lettuce, so I grow a few of those under double debris-netting
I don't bother with sprouts at all, they always blow, end up with every pest going, and take up too much space for too long

I do grow purple sprouting and we use the young leaves as a cabbage substitute; I am also a convert to nero and green curly kale, which do well without anything like the same problems of cabbage providing I deter the pigeons. I've had two goes at sprouts and not got anything edible yet, but I will persevere with my three space-wasting plants in the hope that one year it will all come together and we can have some for Christmas dinner, which is the limit of my ambitions in this department.

As for freezing leeks, well yes but they will have to fight for space with all the other fruit and veg. I bought a second freezer last year when we got the allotment but even that isn't big enough!