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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: albion on October 04, 2012, 21:05:54
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Hi everyone
Have got some aquadulce broad bean seed, is it worth sowing now(soon?) or should I wait untill spring?
If there is a benefit to overwinter, whats the best way to sow, in situ or start them off in pots?,
Should they be covered?
I am in Cheshire if that makes a difference.
Thanks in advance.
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Sow some in modules in a unheated greenhouse first week in Feb to plant out in March, then when you transplant them, direct sow a second batch direct into the ground to give a subsequent harvest later. Overwintering will only give you a harvest around 3 weeks earlier if you can be bothered with the hassle. Personal preference really.
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we use both methods as we love them so much, cant get enough of em! Like the feeling of having something going over winter too,and you get the reward of seeing little shoots emerging a tad earlier,a feeling we cant wait for! Plus its quite satusfying to sow over winter as its a job for next year already crossed off the list,same goes for over winter onions et al
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We've tried overwintering them with mixed results. In the end we decided it wasn't worth it. Just start 'em off bright and early in the spring.
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Yes last year, no the two years before that, just about the year before that, no the year before that, yes , yes just, yes, no, yes, no, yes, yes.......
If I find that pack of Aquadulce then I'll sow them mostly as manure testers rather than for any need to get a crop from them
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I think it depends on the kind f Winter one normally gets. Here when we tried over wintering them, we lost every plant even in the 'normal' winter so for us an early sowing is more successful. My son, in a warmer area does very well with over-wintered ones. Take your pick!
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We have very severe frosts and strong NW winds here and I have never been successful at overwintering them. My best attempts have only produced beans about 10 days before the Feb sown ones and a very measely amount of them. The birds, squirrels, voles,deer etc etc like them too. I prefer to wait for a whole portion of masterpiece greenlong pod than put in a lot of work for a few aquadulce.
Though I might sow some self saved seeds as green manure and if they produce the odd bean it will be a bonus.
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Sow them late Oct or Nov.
They will germinate and only peep through an inch or two before sleeping and surviving the winter in Cheshire (that's where I am). Aquadulce are perfectly suited to this technique.
They will be at least 3 weeks earlier to crop next year than spring planted and perhaps the biggest advantage is that you won't get any blackfly on the tips and their sticky secretions, something to do with frost I suppose?
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That's 3 of us from Cheshire :icon_cheers:. There's a BB called Express & it gives an early crop.
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It's not really worthwhile for me because of winter waterlogging. If your site is well drained, it might well be.
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I think in the south it is well worth while. I always sow during October and only on a few occasions have I lost many.
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As always, I reply that it is worth it. We have had 2 terrible winters in the South East, but even so, I have had early broad beans just when I want them. Any gaps can be filled up by fresh chitted seeds (damp cloths in plastic bags) when frost keels them over.
Elderly King of the Plots treats his broad beans like potatoes, and earths them up to help them over the winter.
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Thanks lovely people, good advice as ever!
Will be giving them a go for sure.
For those in Cheshire I am in the heavy clay bit not the posh sandy soil area :toothy10:
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Just to add to what Elvis2003 has said-
We love going for a walk on Christmas morning to see the new shoots! (west Midland)
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I planted some in pots to get started a few weeks ago and they are doing well. About 3" tall now so going to get them planted out asap in the plot. I'm also going to start some in mid Nov to compare Oct and Nov sowings..
Will I need to cloche or protect them over winter? I have some A frame cloches (see below) made of poly carb and plastic roofing that I can use as a basic protector..
(http://www.seedparade.co.uk/forum/attachments/vegetable-plot/1115d1351081868-sowing-broad-beans-pots-img_0667ll_rs.jpg)
(http://www.seedparade.co.uk/forum/attachments/money-saving-ideas/926d1347811844-free-cloches-2012-09-16-13.03.34l_rs.jpg)
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Like Elvis, I've autumn-sown them before because it's nice to have something in the ground over the winter. If the snow hasn't sat too heavy on them then they've come through fine and they seem to get away well in the spring, but in bad years I'll lose half. Many times I've seen them planted too early so they get all leggy and nesh before the winter sets in, they really want to get some root on but very little top, so I'd say it was still a week or two early to be sowing them yet.
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I sowed them direct in soil last November, with the help of this year's rain, I had a very big and early crop!
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I haven't done it for a while as the mice eat them but as i had a lot of spare seed I decided to sow some most have come up but there are little pits where the mice have dug up the rest and eaten them.
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GavinC yours look great.
I've got about 20 valencianas in pots in the gh for a little winter flutter. But will definitely put a cloche over them when they go out. You never know they might make it!
x Sunloving
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GavinC yours look great.
I've got about 20 valencianas in pots in the gh for a little winter flutter. But will definitely put a cloche over them when they go out. You never know they might make it!
x Sunloving
They are now planted as my early earlies... I'm going to sow another row or 2 in pots on Bonfire day as this is the date I have been given by loads of people just to do a comparison between Oct and Nov sowings. .
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I was thinking about having ago at planting some broad beans out this winter as we have had such a rubbish crop of veg this year off the allotment due to flooding and the bad weather I thought I would maybe start early this year and then get a real head start for next year. I then thought to myself is it really worth it because we have a big mouse problem and I know as soon as the beans go in the mice will be munching there way through them. What I 'might' do is to plant them in paper pots then when they have germinated just bung them on the plot this might get over the mouse problem but then we have the weather so I will need to find a way to protect them.
Who said growing veg was easy :tongue3:
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I only just read this one, and it surprised me how few people seem to be in favour. I lost all but about 6 winter before last, but apart from then they've always been well worth while. I grow four varieties, but unfortunately have no idea what they are. I've been saving the seed for several years, and one variety came from my mother who's been gone 11 years now. Anyway, first sowing is about now, second in Feb, then another in March and the last in April. Bumper crops this year, which can't be said for some of the other beans. I'm in Sheffield, on rather heavy soil. If the sun shines, I shall sow some tomorrow. Mine all go directly into the soil.
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Where's the water table on your plot? I suffer from waterlogging, and I think it's that which makes the difference. I've seen them sit happily through a cold dry winter, then die in a mild wet spell in early spring.
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I've been growing 'white-seeded' aquadulce for years both just before and just after winter and I would say do both.
They are tough and hardy so the biggest problem for me is blackfly - and usually they only massacre ONE of the sowings - but you never know which one it will be.
In late March/early April I sow some green-seeded varieties because they are so much nicer even with their skins on.
Cheers