A highly recommended Broad Bean

[pigletwillie]

Having for the last 3 years limited my bored beans to Aquadulce Claudia for growing over winter and having an ok crop of ok beans I have tried a new variety this year on the recommendation of a fiend

The variety is "Witkem Vroma"

The yield is huge with the beans being sweet enough to use raw in salads when young or more traditionally when more mature. As an added bonus they are virtually untouched by blackfly and the 60 plants that went out in April will give me fresh beans for a few more weeks and lots to freeze for the winter.

It has gone onto my "Gold standard" list, against which any other variety that I grow is judged.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Thanks for that, PW! As a newbie I have a sowing of aguadulce bored beans on the go, and I am enjoying them very much indeed!

We've been lucky with not much blackfly (read: have obsessively picked out anything which looked even remotely infested!) anyway, but assuming I can't cadge some crimson flowered ones for next year from NTG , I'll be trying the Witkem Vrona.

[Paulottie]

Yes PW, thanks. Did you autumn plant them?

[pigletwillie]

No Paul, sown in mid March, planted out at the end of April and I started harvesting them this week.

[Helenclare]

Where did you get the seeds from Piglet? Were they easy to find?

[Flummery]

A recommendation from a fellow grower is worth vastly more than the advertising 'glow' of the producer - well, they would say that, wouldn't they! thanks for the tip.

[Headfry]

I am growing Aqua D this year, still no black fly....yet! I am sure the will come.
I will try your Witkem next year! thanks for the tip PW
cheers!

[Cutecumber]

Well I've had the worst crop ever of broad beans - probably 20 pods from 12 plants. Apparently nothing to do with the variety as others grow them quite successfully (so I won't mention it!).

I'm considering all offers of foolproof varieties, so thanks for the recommendation PW.

By the way, if you are Googling for this variety, PW's spelling needs a tweak

WITKIEM VROMA

It seems to be readily available from seed suppliers. There are a few varieties of Witkiem's, so remember to look for the whole name.

[moggssue]

My Aqua D's are only just beginning to produce beans so I have a way to go yet before I know what they taste like, but I shall definitely try W Vroma next year - as Flummery says, a recommendation like that is worth far more than some marketing gumph! Thanks PW! Does anyone know whether they can be autumn sown to get ahead, or whether it really isnt worth it?

[DirtDobber]

I am curious also about where you purchased them....

[PAULW]

Fothergils have them advertised

[Hazel at the Hill]

Right at the bottom of the page, DD - quite expense delivery charges to the US, though.

http://fothergills.co.uk/en/broad-beans.aspx

[pigletwillie]

Having grown the autumn varieties before and finding that after the weather has kicked them about, the pigeons have had a go the little bit of "earliness" gained isnt worth the work and now only spring plant.

I will be harvesting some more tommorow and will take a couple of piccies so you can see how well they crop and how good the growth is.

[peterholmes]

thanks piglet i shall try to get that variety for next season my aqua d are rubbish this year loads of blackfly the grove grower

[pete10]

Fair play PW i had a shed load off my Aqua Beans . I only planted them as a
Green Manure but was well surprized on how well they did . But i like the look
of the beans you have grown .