Which Broad bean?

[bario1]

Hmm, good question, I'll have to consult my notebook - where I'll probably discover there are no notes about broad beans at all... I think there were two sowings in root trainers under cover (probably Feb and March), and one final direct sowing in April - I'll let you know if that's wrong if there turn out to be notes. There were some overwintered ones as well, but they might have been Aquadulce - they didn't exactly thrive over winter, I had to cut them back to the ground, but they grew new shoots and gave me my first (paltry) crop.

[Snadger]

It'll be The Sutton as usual for me. The easy to manage low height and the gorgeous flavour come harvest time are a perfect combo.

I'm trying these in the greehouse beds this year if i can find the packet of seeds I KNOW I have somewhere!

[RaptorUK]

You won't be disappointed VC, mine were epic this year, with 3 successional sowings I had a constant supply for most of the summer, until rust struck them down almost overnight.

I grew some last year as a green manure, maybe I'll let a few produce and try eating them next year

[Ryleh]

So for those who have tried Wizard beans... I bought some of these and the literature that came with them refers to them a lot as green manure as well as being hardy and plant-able about now as such to then dig in in the spring.

Has anyone used them as green manure or even just tried them in general - ie are they worthwhile eating?

And if you were going to plant them about now would you do it under cover or straight into an outdoor bed as a combination of pickable beans and green manure?

[bario1]

Beans don't tend to overwinter that well up here, the constant freezing and thawing combined with the inevitable gale force winds usually reduces them to black stumps. I'm going to try overwintering in root trainers in the tunnel or coldframe this year instead.

[RaptorUK]

So for those who have tried Wizard beans... I bought some of these and the literature that came with them refers to them a lot as green manure as well as being hardy and plant-able about now as such to then dig in in the spring.

Has anyone used them as green manure or even just tried them in general - ie are they worthwhile eating?

And if you were going to plant them about now would you do it under cover or straight into an outdoor bed as a combination of pickable beans and green manure?

I planted some as green manure in Dec 2013 and dug them in during May 2014

Feb 2014:


May 2014:


May 2014 - Root nodules:


I'll be planting more this year, this weekend if the weather and plans hold up.

[veggiechicken]

Did you eat any, Raptor? Just wondering whether I can use them for eating and greenmanure.

[RaptorUK]

Did you eat any, Raptor? Just wondering whether I can use them for eating and greenmanure.

Nope didn't eat any, but for green manure you cut them before any flowers set so I had none to eat, will leave a row next year if I have space, other people on this thread have reported that they are good to eat.

[Ryleh]

Interesting. What I might do then is save about 10 seeds for a spring planting (so I can try eating some and for future seeds) and plant the rest, probably this weekend, as a green manure.

Or I guess I could plant those 10 or so seeds now in the position id put them in spring and just let them flower for a likely earlier bean crop.

[Root66]

I've planted a number of lines of field beans as green manure in November, they are about 3 inches now

Also sowed 3 lines of broad beans in early November, they are 1 inch now
Sowed another 3 lines of broad beans this weekend.
It's my first go at overwintering, so it's fingers crossed

[sparrow100]

So for those who have tried Wizard beans... I bought some of these and the literature that came with them refers to them a lot as green manure as well as being hardy and plant-able about now as such to then dig in in the spring.

Has anyone used them as green manure or even just tried them in general - ie are they worthwhile eating?

And if you were going to plant them about now would you do it under cover or straight into an outdoor bed as a combination of pickable beans and green manure?

My neighbours plant them each year for eating, not for digging in. They don't have many beans per pod, but they do carry a lot of pods. We have mouse & squirrel issues with both bean and pea seeds, so I sow mine in modules and plant out with a lot of spiky twigs to keep the furries at bay.

As it's been so mild recently I have sown mine really late - peas are just poking up and beans are still in the packet. Must get a move on before winter catches up with me.

[the beadle]

Down our allotments we sow broad bean 6 inches deep, (yes 6 inches!) at the end of November or early December. That way the mice don't get to them as they don't dig that deep. I still have about 2 kilos left in the freezer, mind you, I did sow a lot. Try it you won't be disappointed.

[Root66]

With the temperatures set to drop into the minus figures, is it necessary to protect the overwintering broad beans, given the fact that it's been so mild that mine are already 4-5 inches tall.

[bario1]

They do survive frosts, but it wouldn't hurt to throw some fleece over them?

[lmayhow]

Its Broad bean sowing time again and I've just ordered some "Wizard" Field beans from Realseeds.
Bario has grown them http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1328322
Anyone else?
What are you growing this year?

So I brought some Wizard seeds for an overwinter bean and then searched the forum finding this thread. May I ask how you got on with the Wizard? Did they survive the winter and produce by spring? How long did they produce for? Trying to plan ahead with my plot and was wondering if I could put the wizard in my runner bean section in the winter/spring? To then use the area for runners late june? Looking for items I can use at oposite times of year trying to not leave plot empty....

Thank you