Topic: My early Broad Beans

[Tyke]

I planted some Aquadulce Broad Beans in November in my plastic mini-greenhouse. They are about a foot tall now. Can i plant them out on allotment now or will they die from frost? Should i have pinched out the tips?

[saddad]

If the soil isn't frozen put them out under cloches... and reduce the cover slowly to harden them up a bit... you can pinch out the tips but I don't...  :)

[Suzanne]

I planted mine out straight in the ground at the same time - they have grown to about 2-3 inches despite the frost. Previously I have mollycoddled them with fleece etc, but wanted to see how hardy they were this time. They seem to be surviving the frost okay - I have netted them now as the pigeons are unbelievably hungry this year and seem to be eating anything remotely green (apart from grass)!

[saddad]

Aquadulce are very hardy but having been inside they might need a little toughening up..  :-\

[Tyke]

thanks for the advice. I'm going to put them out under fleece when we have a day or two without frost - should keep the pigeons away!

[1066]

Depending on where you are and the soil condition & temp I'd be tempted to try and warm the soil up a bit 1st. Try putting fleece / carpet / cardboard / plastic etc over it 1st otherwise the plants might be in for a bit of a shock!
I have some in the ground already and some in pots (only 4" high) and before I put them out I'll try and warm the soil up a bit

[shirlton]

thanks for the advice. I'm going to put them out under fleece when we have a day or two without frost - should keep the pigeons away!

Pigeons will eat them if thet are not protected

[growmore]

I am with Sadad on this if they are a foot tall. They sound like they will be a bit tender so will need hardening off gradually  before being planted out ....When you do plant them out support them with sticks and string...

[jonny211]

I planted three rows of these in November and only a few have come up, should I give up on the non starters and replant others in the same row?

Cheers.

Jon

[artichoke]

I am about to fill in gaps in my rows, planted at the same time as yours, as I am sure nothing else is going to come up now. I like to put the seeds in damp cloth in a plastic bag first until a root shows, as I get fewer gaps that way.

[jonny211]

Hiya,

Okay, I'll replant to fill in the gaps. I thought broad beans had a good germination rate but out of a whole packet only 5 or six have come up! I'll get some more and (snow/sleet/frost permitting) I'll have another go.

Jon

[ceres]

They do have a good germination rate, it's just if you plant them straight in the ground the mice/rats/squirrels/birds get them before they get a chance to germinate.  You could try cloches to protect them or do like many here and germinate them indoors on damp kitchen paper, pot them on and plant them out when they're at the seedling stage. 

[hopalong]

Had a look at mine yesterday. Sowed them on 5th and 14th November and was beginning to worry that only a few were showing through, but yesterday a lot more had poked their heads above ground. I guess you just have to be patient.