Broad beans....I'm done!

[bobbin]

I grow them every year. I like them..MHO not so much. I pop them out of the just cooked bean shells and end up with a handful of emeralds from a bucket of beans. Even on the smaller ones I find the bean shell bitter. I encourage ladybirds,so this year no black fly yea! They are a pain to stake though.
But every year without exception....RUST. There's nowt you can do either sadly. It claims half my harvest.
So my love affair with the humble broadie is at an end.
Anyone feel the same?
Ps. Don't expect composting the rusted plants is advisable is it?

[SusieG]

It's so disappointing, bobbin....

My only experience with broad beans was this year:
Started them in a large grow bag early in the season - they grew and flowered really well. In fact they just kept on growing, and growing. A fair bit of time spent staking/tying them in ... and when they were all picked - there was just enough for one meal for two ... (didn't much enjoy them either, a little 'bitter')


So, I learned that unless I'm going to give a fair bit of growing space up to broad beans, all the effort etc probably not worth doing again.....

[Ryez]

I've heard that broad beans in general taste quite funny... I don't know if I ever tried them. I grew up eating butter beans, we used to buy them from the supermarket, dry, and cook some amazing food with them! They taste amazing and it is something that I would really like to grow, but my guess is UK does not have the weather for it. Don't think I will ever grow broad beans... especially with the reviews I read...

[ecudc]

I love broad beans and grow them every year

The skins can be a bit bitter but that bitterness is one of the broad bean anti oxidants and so the bitterness is actually good for you, just like in sprouts, kale, chicory and coffee.

If you don't like them bitter you could try growing bigger and remove the shells or possibly try stereo which you eat very small pod and all.....never tried that though so can't vouch for it. I grow green Windsor.

If you don't like Rust (which has been bad this year because of the weather) then stick to the early sowings and space them quite widely. My neighbours grow a dwarf variety possible Sutton or Robin Hood which seemed fairly immune this year. Seaweed spray and lots of potash may help.

[Mr Bones]

Echo what ecudc says. We grow dwarf varieties because of a windy plot and plant early (or overwinter) to avoid the bulk of the pests. Rust is prone in damp, sheltered conditions so maybe try dwarf beans in your most exposed location.

[Alison]

I love broadies too, never considered them bitter at all. Personally pick them while they're fairly small and they bright green. At this point I find them sweet like peas but with a beany taste. I don't stake individually but put posts round the outside of the block and sting them together. Really simple and works well. Have grown Dreadnought for the last couple of years as my main crop but other varieties have been just as good. Tend to sow 32 in root trainers then plant out when they have got going, usually get at least 30 germinated and it keeps us in beans until the summer beans (runners and frenchies) start up. Also grow a few earlies in the tunnel which are Crimson flowered which are less productive but very pretty.

[Scoot]

It's so disappointing, bobbin....

My only experience with broad beans was this year:
Started them in a large grow bag early in the season - they grew and flowered really well. In fact they just kept on growing, and growing. A fair bit of time spent staking/tying them in ... and when they were all picked - there was just enough for one meal for two ... (didn't much enjoy them either, a little 'bitter')


So, I learned that unless I'm going to give a fair bit of growing space up to broad beans, all the effort etc probably not worth doing again.....

Yeah, the bit about not getting a lot happened to me last year. I only got 2 meals out of them. The thing is, I don't give them a lot of space either. I grow them along the back fence in 1 row along a thin strip of soil. It's basically the last 6 inches of soil up to the fence. I grow them up chicken wire which is tied to the fence. I just weave them in and out of the chicken wire as they grow so they don't fall over. I do exactly the same for my sugar snap peas as well. Hardy no space given over to them but that is all i can spare as they aren't big croppers so it's not really worth it.

[Greenleaves]

Broad Beans are one of my favourite veggies, I grow Longpod and generally get good results. I think spacing is key to a good crop and the avoidance of rust. Like Alison I pick early so the beans are small and tender.

[happyhumph]

I love broad beans but don't like the shell so think they might make a come back but do what ecudc says - let them grow big.

An alternative to butter beans which I've seen is the gigantes beans from real seeds - a massive type of runner grown for shelling. Haven't tried though. ...

[bario1]

I love 'em! I start off about 16 Aquadulce in Feb, then make two more sowings of Wizard for successional crops. We've been eating the Aquadulce for the last few weeks, and the Wizards are just about ready now. I always blanch and take the skins off the beans (laborious but worth it), and we have them in pastas and salads... when the rust hits I harvest what's left (usually tons) and we make broad bean bruschetta - amazing.

[Bren In Pots]

Another one who loves broad beans I've not got a lot of space so only grow 48 plants not sure what variety they are Two_sheds sent me the original seeds 6 years ago and there's red, green and a whitish coloured bean.

[Snoop Puss]

Every year I grow broad beans and every year I say it'll be my last. Next year I'm trying Wizard as lots of people seem to have success with them: very hardy, so good for overwintering, and still productive even if they get hit by black fly and chocolate spot.

[bobbin]

Oh bario1 why did you mention broad bean bruschetta? You tease. I've made it and now I'm thinking..
Maybe I should grow them again.
I do most of the things you clever lot mention. However I'm restricted to a raised bed which having trenched with lots of good stuff gave rave results. It's down to rust though. Looking at allotment neighbours bb some were well spaced but still rusted and I think it's unavoidable to be honest no matter what.Much the way blight will finish everyone's spuds. The large pod variety is an idea though.
I just find the skin bitter and overpowers the sweet bean so I always shell them. Though I could put up with it MOH curls his nose up. Boy is it work intensive. I have had a good crop even with rust. Despite string and wire supports the wind still knocked some over though.
Maybe I will feel different next year we shall see.
.
My allotment neighbour nips the plants leafy new tops out and steams them as Spring greens.

[Alison]

An alternative to butter beans which I've seen is the gigantes beans from real seeds - a massive type of runner grown for shelling. Haven't tried though. ...

I don't think I've ever seen fresh butter beans (had them tinned though or dried though) but I do grow Gigantes and they're fab. Eat some fresh and then dry the remaining ones for winter use. Grow about 16 plants over an arch and they keep the two of us well fed. They are in fact a runner bean and therefore prone to cross with other runners so you have to be a bit selective saving seeds but it can be done successfully.

[Ryez]

Gigantes are the beans I was talking about, actually I called them butter beans in case you didn't know the name cause is Greek, it means giant! They are my fav! Didn't know you can grow them in the UK, may ask where you find them, which kind you grow? I would really LIKE to try growing them!