Topic: broad beans query?

[Mrs greenjeans]

Hi all,
just to say I did a search on this to avoid wasting everyone's time, but...

Am on yr2 with lottie, tried BBs this spring. sowed only 2 rows  of vicia fava "Express" and about 15 -20 plants came up - fairly far apart 6-8" or more which was okay... went through a dry spell, in which they seemed to get eaten by something - ? snails?. I watered  more and they seemed to recover. Are now maybe 8-12" high but are starting to  bloom, pretty white flowers with purple/black spots.
my question (sorry if it's stupid) is that I thought these were climbing-type beans which needed canes etc. The BBC video I watched (yes, geek!) showed what looked like tall bean plants. have they been stunted / ruined, or will they possibly shoot up? I don't have lots of space to waste if they're going to rot, but there are an encouraging amount of flowers, just not far off the ground on these thick little plants... They also seem to have a lot of ants - is that a problem?
any advice appreciated.
rgds

[cornykev]

Mine are waist high and I've been cropping since Friday, but I don't know what type they are but I don't think any broadies are climbers.  ;D ;D ;D

[Marymary]

Mine are about 1m tall too but nowhere near cropping - lots of flowers.  Im sure yours will crop fine - maybe they are a short variety.  They may need some support with canes & string [particuarly in this wind] but I don't think any climb.  The ant activity might be a sign of black-fly - have a look on the leaves at the tips & pinch them out if they are there.  Good luck.  :)

[knbsallotment]

My second crop are short, like yours with loads of flowers - am not at all worried - my second sowing did the same last year, andproduced loads of beans! They kept growing, whilst in flower, and it will be a good few weeks before the beans are ready, by which time, the plants should be around 1m (very rough estimate) tall.

My first sowing are coming on beautifully. Have been harvesting lovely young tender beans for a week. YUM YUM YUM!

As for ants - I have ants everywhere on my allotment - never seen so many of the blighters, so I really can't help you there, although they do not seem to be affecting my BBs

[Mrs greenjeans]

well thanks for all this - I was quite worried, as I know nothing about these but have been intrigued by Sara Raven's Veg Plot Book's descriptions of eating them....
will check for flies.xa

[allaboutliverpool]

There are lots of photos of Broad Beans on my site. They do not climb but need staking if winds is a problem.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_Broad_Beans.html

[Mrs greenjeans]

wow liverpool! brilliant site. answers all my questions! congratulationsxx

[amanda21]

This is my first year with growing Broad Beans and I only have ones sown early winter which are now about 12-15" high but have got beans!  How do I know when they are ready to harvest - I don't want to miss them but don't want to be too premature in my picking!  ???

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

You can eat the pods whole when they're still small, steamed like french beans, tho i've never tried. I suppose you start picking them when the  pods swell and you can see (as it were) or feel the beans inside. Best thing is to open one and look (and eat the beans there and then). You can tell when beans are going over-ripe - when the the little tongue that attaches the bean to the pod starts darkening

i'm sure i've seen your avatar before - fan of Frank Zappa??

[amanda21]

Thanks - I will have a look at them next time I'm there - here's hopeful!


Re Avatar - not sure where I found it but just think it's great - he looks so grumpy as well he should!   ;)

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

at least it's not you being cruel to cats,,,,,,,,(poor thing)

I don't know how many beans you've got, but BB's are one of those crops where you have to pick all the ones that are ready, and freeze what you don't need there and then, and not just pick what you want, and let the rest get over-ripe and hard..

Peas are the same-if you're very lucky  ???

[saddad]

 ;D keep your fingers crossed with the recent rain..

[asbean]

If you want low-growing ones, The Sutton is the one to go for. They don't get so windswept, either. Pretty well all the others grow to about waist height, and sort of hold each other up (as long as they are close enough to each otehr).