Broad bean disaster the same every year

[Marb67]

Yes, I always go out at night and pick snails and slugs off plants but this year I haven't had too many like previous years. I wouldn't use pellets anyway. I have a pond with a few frogs so they help with the slugs. I always sow my B Beans very early spring. I will try the autumn sowing but can I keep them in the greenhouse ? I may not have room and enough sunlight in my garden in winter as it's walled.

[Two_Sheds]

You can overwinter them in the gh, but they won't be as strong as plants grow outside, so you're back to square one with weak sappy plants.

You don't need to grow ALL your broadies outside: just do a few to see if it makes any difference to the crop.

Pick a very hardy variety, eg Aquedulce, and start them in November. Not too early, or they'll get too big and be cut down by frost

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

I have these holes on my broad beans. Not snails, unless they have abseiling equipment. Only on the top tip leaves that aren't fully open have been affected. Strangely, a few other things have teeny holes in the top leaves (chillis and peppers that have been outside in the warm). Though not quite the same as this.

The ground has not be manured. Only thing I thought, other than possibly cr*p compost was that I sowed my broad beans really late this year. I must admit it was more in hope. I anticipated that I was not going to be eating any

I am intending on getting them in early so they get tough. Maybe November as twosheds suggests.

[Two_Sheds]

Not snails, unless they have abseiling equipment.

Snails get everywhere. I have them 'roosting' at the top of my runner bean canes (7ft high)

[chris]

I get circular holes cut in my broadies leafs around the edge (leaf cutting bee? *shrug*). Never affects the crop. I also get thrip damage on a lot of my crops too at home too - but they all survive fine.

What about trying a few in a large container? I've grown them in stacked buckets before..

[Marb67]

I noticed in one of the beans a black hole that hasn't punctured the bean, just left a concave mark and the bean distorted around that. The beans were fine though. Out of about ten plants I have so far had 3 beans :-( Considering the lush, healthy flowers that's very depressing. Anyway, as I have nothing to lose I have chopped the top half of the plants off where the ebans are the most pathetic and hope new growth may come.

[rustylady]

Beans don't all swell at the same time, maybe you haven't given the ones at the top of the plants enough time?

[leonmc0708]

Do you prick out hte top of the plant when the things in full flower ?

I was told abotu htis before by an old sage and decided to test hte theory.

I pricked out half and left the otehr half - result bigger more beans in those pricked out.

[rustylady]

Pinched Leon, pinched.

[Marb67]

The top beans were def growing bad. They wouldn't have got any better as they were so distorted. Seen it year after year.