Topic: Broad beans very short and in full flower!

[Suzie Q]

Does anyone else have a problem with their broad beans?  Mine are meant to be 150 cm tall and currently they are about 15 cm with loads of flowers on them - surely this is not right????????

[SPUDLY]

Hi suzie q,

Mine are exactly the same. I was given some seed around xmas time and planted them in January. I was then told a month or two later, by said giver, that this seed had been collected from the previous years seed going back a few years. Now i'm not a lover of the things. If they dont smarten up they are out.

[realfood]

In my experience, an early crop of broad beans usually starts flowering while the plants are still quite small. This is good as it means that we will get to taste the beans or even the small bean pods as soon as possible. With a bit of luck, they may continue flowering for quite a time.
Mine are under a Lidl cloche and I see that they are about to flower.

[saddad]

Many of the real "Winter" ones like the Sutton are very small, only the summer ones get to 1.50M...  :-\

[Suzie Q]

thanks Spudly & Realfood, mind now at rest (actually pre occupied with the seed box but it's a start)!

[SPUDLY]

Again, thanks realfood & saddad.

It's a stay of execution for the broad beans. ;D ;D ;D

[KathrynH]

Mine are a good deal smaller than usual at this time of year but  think the bad winter set them back. The overwintering ones do tend to flower quite early but continue growing and flowering at the same time so you should get a decent crop by the sound of it.