Broad Beans double hit.

[Peter Olding]

I have a raised bed in which I have 50/50 carrots/broadbeans (with one line of onion). Like last year my braod beans have been hit by black fly. But a much wose attack this year. They also have rust on their leaves. Doesn't look like they are going to produce anything this year. So I'm going to rip the plants out. Question is can I put something straight in their place. (e.g. sweetcorn from pots in the greenhouse) or would I need to treat the ground first to get rid of the rust?

[SMS6]

have you got room for sweetcorn? It's best planted in a block rather than a row usually 4 x 4 plants otherwise it doesn't pollinate well

[Flummery]

I'd blast off the blackfly with a hose (several times), nip out the growing tips, and give them a chance. Rust doesn't affect the crop.

[gojiberry]

It is rare for rust to be fatal to plants and I don't even try to eradicate it. When it appears on the garlic I just remove the worst of the infected leaves and allow the plant to carry on growing. With broad beans it is usually only the leaves that are affected and they will usually still give a good crop of beans.

Ian

[Peter Olding]

Thanks for the replies... My broad beans have already flowered and then nothing... that makes me think there will be nothing to harvest. Hence ripping them out and trying something that will hopefully give me something. I ripped the tips off a while ago but I think it was too late by then.

cheers

Peter

[SlugLobber]

I had a severe black fly attack when I first grew French Climbing Beans. A tip I received was to recycle your washing up water and water the roots with it. I guess the detergent is drawn up by the beans and it worked absolute miracles for me and I was very virtuous on account of not wasting water!

[Two_Sheds]

Thanks for the replies... My broad beans have already flowered and then nothing.

I'd be very surprised if you get nothing. Have you been patient enough? It takes a few weeks between flower and bean

Next year, try sowing them earlier in the year. The plants will then be tougher and better able to withstand an aphid attack.

I've not had any blackfly this year to speak of (yet!) - my plants went in the ground in March.

[salilah]

I'd be very surprised if you get nothing. Have you been patient enough? It takes a few weeks between flower and bean

Seconded! Last year (first year with beans) I was really frustrated - lots flowers but no beans - then suddenly there they were!
Give it a couple weeks before you dig up...
S