Topic: Winter Broad Beans

[colleenemp]

SO! Have got some broad bean plantlets, all about 6 inches high, bargain bin at local garden center. Variety is Aquadulce Claudia. Also have some fleece..... Should I bung em in the ground and hope, or put fleece over and hope once they are in???? All tips and advice greatfully recieved as i LOVE broad beans and desparately want them to do their beany thing as best they can!!!! (Hello Wardy?!) (Anyone?!)  ???

[Doris_Pinks]

Colleen, I would bung em in, and if you wan't to give them a bit more protection, throw the fleece over, I don't bother with fleece meself, but it wouldn't hurt.  DP

[colleenemp]

Thankyou! Will set to, then worry...then revisit allotment several times to put on/take off fleece...then cover half of them.... LOL  ;D

[Derekthefox]

Since this topic is running, is it too late to germinate some beans now, I thought of keeping them in small pots over the winter, then planting out in Feb time ...

Derekthefox :D

[Sarah-b]

I'm hoping to get a few popped in at the weekend. I think so long as we still get a bit of mild weather, they will germinate just fine - but then I'm always optomistic about these things!

SB

[Gillian]

I just bought some (autumn sowing) broad bean seeds and it says you can plant them anytime during Nov/Dec/Jan.

I'm no expert but that sounds like the coldest stretch to me. So mine are going in whatever the weather.
Now if only this rain would give up!

[sandersj89]

Now is fine, cold is not so much a problem as damp and the seed can rot off if the soil is too wet.

I sowed mine a couple of weeks ago on heavy clay and they are all up just about now.

If you sow in pots in a cold greenhouse they will get away just fine but make sure you harden them of well prior to planting out.

Jerry

[terrace max]

If you're starting them off indoors plant 'em deep - a 3" pot is no good. You just end up with kind of leggy plants which blow about too much and weaken in winter weather.

I cut the top off those tall 'Tropicana' orange juice tetrapax (donated by a posh neighbour!) and use them...

[Derekthefox]

I intend to use jennym's technique, germinate in a large tray, then plant up into decent pots, I have lots that are 4 inches deep. When they are a few inches high, then they can be planted out, at a time to suit the ground conditions ...

Derekthefox :D

[colleenemp]

I am experimenting with using 2 l pop bottles as starter cloches. Cut the pointy end off and pop em over the top of taller plants, 'cause they are so long you can anchor them in a bit to stop the dreaded blowing away into hawthorn Wardy!
Am getting into scruffs now and am off to plant out beans. Will leave some exposed, some will have pop bottle cloche and others' fleece....that should mean that some will survive surely????

[terrace max]

I shall get the scissors out 

a hacksaw is even easier - £2 from Focus...

[Lily]

I planted some broad bean seeds a few weeks ago, directly in the ground - no sign of them yet.  And last weekend I planted, some of the same beans that I had growing in pots in the greenhouse, about 6 ins high.  Have covered all of them with fleece, and keeping fingers crossed. :)



Lily

[timmyc]

I bought some from a stall on the market - just 85p for 1/2 pint of seeds - and almost all of them have germinated and are on their way! Put them in 2 or 3 weeks ago - not even sure if I like them but at 85p they'll stick loads of Nitrogen in the soil if nothing else!

[colleenemp]

Beans are in the ground and have an attractive canapy of fleece using other's throwaway branches as tent poles. Looks like a wedding! - If you happen to be Jewish....

[terrace max]

Broad beans can take ages to show - even longer if the mice have had 'em...!

[plot51A]

The mice broke in to my storage box and ate most of a packet of broad beans before I even had time to plant them! Lost quite a lot from the ground last year - so this year have tried tucking them up under enviromesh with the edges well sunk in the ground, not to protect from the elements, just the wildlife!

[redimp]

Mine are in 3" pots but then again I bury everything up to first leaf when I plant them out anyway.  Makes things bushier, sturdier and higher yielding.  I heard that on GQT.

[cleo]

I start mine in the greenhouse,then into the polytunnel to harden a bit,and finally plant out under the tried and trusted water pipe and polythene cloches.

Now would not be too late

[colleenemp]

Mine are in 3" pots but then again I bury everything up to first leaf when I plant them out anyway. Makes things bushier, sturdier and higher yielding. I heard that on GQT.

Aha! Have planted mine up to first leaf too, they looked a little leggy.... :)

[Mothy]

Thought my Aquadulce had rotted as it has rained consistently since I put them in the Lottie........lo and behold they're all up and looking good  as of the weekend!!   ;D