Topic: Autumn Sown broad beans

[hemajo]

I would like to sow some broad beans this autumn.  I live in Northumberland.  I am a novice at this sort of thing.  Do I sow in modules to start them and then plant out or do I sow direct?  When do I start them off and do they need any winter protection?  Sorry about all these questions :)  I only have 4 small raised veggie beds, so they will be going where my two courgette plants and runner bean wigwam are at the moment. 

[Robert_Brenchley]

Round here people just plant them out. If we have a real wet winter they tend to rot, but most years they're OK.

[adrianhumph]

Hi Hemajo,  :D
                       I think you should be ok to sow direct , but make sure you grow a hardy type such as  red epicure or aquadulce.
                                                                           Adrian.

[christine]

They shouldn't need protecting from the cold, but the winds might knock them about a bit.  If you're not growing many, you could earth up the stems or stake the individual plants.

[Diana]

I'd sow end of sept/early oct to give them time to get a couple of inches growth before the really cold stuff.

Also beware mice if you sow direct - I lost all my first lot of peas + broad beans this year to them

[hemajo]

Thanks for all your replies, everyone.  I have Aquadulce Claudia, so will give them a go.  I'll risk sowing direct at end of September.  What is a good method to protect them from mice?  Could I use plastic bottle cloches, or netting?  We do have three cats in the garden (one our own!) regularly, so they might catch some! 

[Diana]

Cats ought to be enough.

The only other effective deterrant I've heard of is to soak the seed in parafin for a couple of hours before hand. I think the smell maskes the smell of the seed

[Grant]

For protection I have used plastict bottles with bottem cut off and then held in the ground by a cane pushed through open spout of bottle.

[hemajo]

For protection I have used plastict bottles with bottem cut off and then held in the ground by a cane pushed through open spout of bottle.

I like the cane idea - I'll try that.
Diana - our cat certainly does catch mice - we get them delivered to us (dead) in the garage!  So I should now be grateful for these presents I suppose.

[Roy Bham UK]

Sellotape the canes to the side of the bottle to keep it more stable and a better chance of not stabbing the roots ;D ;)

[hemajo]

Sellotape the canes to the side of the bottle to keep it more stable and a better chance of not stabbing the roots ;D ;)

I'll try that as well!

[TEL]

Hi
Put my beans in November last in frosty ground had a grate crop.

[chrispea27]

I found my autumn sown crop did need protection as I had some under cloches they were ok the ones outside got blackened by the frost but did recover. Your winters in Northumberland may be slightly worse than our Yorkshire ones. I started mine in modules to get a good root system going they romped away when planted out.
Good Luck!

[Multiveg]

If you live in a very windy spot, The Sutton is a dwarf broad bean that can be autumn sown.

I can't remember where I read it, but the plants shouldn't be more than a few inches tall through the winter.

[hemajo]

So I could start them in modules, plant out under cloches, and try to time it so they aren't too tall by winter.  So how long approx from sowing to planting out?  The veggie area is fairly sheltered, even though we have a generally fairly exposed long steep garden.  If they fail, I'll have to do a spring sowing ;).  I have bought Aquadulce Claudia. 

[terrace max]

Hmmm - planting in modules might not be a great idea. Broad beans have a really long main root and would get a bit cramped in there which could lead to a check in growth or weaken the plant.

I sow my Aquadulce in toilet rolls in January and plant them out as soon as they're 2" high. This way they miss the soggiest bit of the winter and get away nice and early.

[jennym]

I too start mine off in toilet rolls sometimes, and then plant them out, but I plant out early November. I usually grow The Sutton and Aquadulce Claudia. Often I just sow direct, especially as we don't get the rains here until January. I think modules would be too small too, unless you are thinking of Rootrainers, which I would say is going over the top for broad beans. My mother used to sow them into twists of newspaper instead of toilet rolls.

[katynewbie]

 ??? ???
Hmmmmmm watching this cos I want to get ahead next year. Was thinking of doing the "loo roll inner" thing too. I am in Lancashire......should I be starting now or wait til January? Terrace...where are you in the country? Sounds like sensible advice given the legendary rain we get here!!

[hemajo]

Well, I think I will do a mini trial - sow some in toilet rolls and sow some direct, cloche if necessary, stake if necessary, and compare the results!