Will black fly harm my broad beans?

[Newbiegrower1970]

I know the advice is to pinch off the tops but will the plants die if I Don't? Will the beans still grow?

[Bren In Pots]

I pinched out the tops as soon as I see beans appear, its just something I've always done plus the tops taste good in omelettes.

[fishpond]

Unless you are partial to eating Blackfly instead of Broad bean, pinch out the tops ( you will probably still get some Blackfly ---just not as many----'cause there is less room on the plant.

[Greenleaves]

Never bothered, i find they just move lower down on peoples that do

[Mr Bones]

Picking broad beans smothered in black fly is just not nice..

[hamamelis]

Normally they're just an annoyance, but a few years ago I managed to get a spectacular blackfly infestation that destroyed the entire crop. They literally sucked the growing pods dry.

[Penellype]

The blackfly like the soft young growth, which is why they cluster around the tips of the plants. If you don't want to nip off the tips you could try distracting the blackfly by growing nasturtiums nearby - the blackfly seem to prefer them, but it may be a bit late for this year.