Topic: Broad beans and black fly

[glosterwomble]

I read all the books at the beginning of the year telling me to pinch out the tops of the B.Beans to stop the black fly and I completely ignored them! Only because I forgot though. Anyway I have now got black fly on them which is on different parts of the plant not just the tops. Ants are running up and down the plants too.

So what do I do, obviously there is no point in pinching out tops, I garden as organically as possible so I don't want to use chemicals but I am happy to use some sort of soap spray (not sure what's best soap to use?) or does anyone have an idea or product they can recommend. Would it harm the plant/crop if I just ignored it? The variety is The Sutton (dwarf) if that makes any difference.

[glosterwomble]

everyone seems to be as stumped as me for an answer to this one! The one thing I didn't say is that the plants seem to be producing pods so maybe I'll just pretend there aren't any black fly!  ;D

[sarah]

yup, there is no easy answer to it really. i sowed mine back in the autumn (super aquadulce) and i pinch the tips out as the flowers start turning  to pods and if you keep an eagle eye you can spot blackfly early and remove affected tips which does help for a short time but once they get a hold there is little you can do except squish and swish, a grotty job.  i have found that mine are just these past couple of days bacome infested but as they were sown in the autumn they are nearly over now anyway and i will be picking the last of them inthe next week or two so i wont worry too much about the blackfy.  sorry its not much help is it.  my advice is to encourage ladybirds spray with soapy water and squish. :)

[Tee Gee]

My way is to count the number of flower trusses!

When I have five trusses I tip out......too often have I gone for a sixth and lost out to the black fly!

[sarah]

does that mean you dont get any blackfly on your broadies then tee gee or is it just that they are finished before they strike? i'm never sure why pinching out the tips deters them.

[Tee Gee]

i'm never sure why pinching out the tips deters them.

It is the most succulent part of the plant!

Have you ever noticed the smell when you tip them out it is no wonder they are attracted to this spot. (a bit like carrot fly to carrots)

To answer your other question ;It is very rare indeed for me to get blackfly!

Plus just another thought on the five truss thing!!

1) It is better to get less beans that are unnafected than more that are.

2) I can't prove the following but I think because I have potentially less beans on the plant/s I get better quantity in the pod. So all in all I like to think I get the best of both worlds i.e. well filled pods that have not been affected by blackfly!!

[sarah]

thanks, thats interesting. youre right of course the tips are obviously attractive and do smell georgusly beany. i might try the five truss thing next year, although the quality of my own beans are top notch. i have to admit i have never counted the number of trusses before pinching out and its possible that i do it anyway without noticing (yes - i am that dim).  i have a real problem with blackfly mostly on my runner beans later in the season and thats when war is declared. ;D

[glosterwomble]

Thanks for the advice, I only sowed the beans this year not last year so they are only just producing beans. As it is my first year I didn't have much choice as to when to sow the beans but I will definetly sow in the Autumn this year to get an earlier crop next year.

[asbean]

I haven't tried, but I've heard that you can cook and eat the tops.  Sprout tops we love, but has anyone tried broady tops? ???

[norfolklass]

I haven't tried, but I've heard that you can cook and eat the tops.  Sprout tops we love, but has anyone tried broady tops? ???

HFW has a recipe for broad bean tops and onion tart:
http://www.rivercottage.net/SeasonalRecipes/Default.aspx?artid=752&cid=142
haven't tried it but it sounds delishus ;D

[glosterwomble]

well I went up the plot tonight and picked off all the tops and then spent 20 mins squishing any remaining offenders with my fingers :) let's hope that has sorted them!