How do you grow your broad beans?

[teresa]

I dont grow them fam dont like them,
But at lottie one chap has two double rows of canes tied at the top ( as you would for runners) and me thinking he was growing a lot of runners no broad beans.
never seen this done before so wondered if anyothers grew them this way?

[teresa]

[jennym]

Can't see the reasoning behind growing them like that - maybe he is going to put runners in later?

[Merry Tiller]

Mine only grow to about 3 feet normally, 4 feet tops

[Mrs Ava]

I grow mine in a block, with short canes around the perimeter and string around them to help support them.  Mine ever only grow hip height.

[supersprout]

Same as emma-jane. I grow dwarf variety The Sutton - dwarf beans and pease seem to do best in a block as they support each other. I'll pinch your idea of the canes and string around the perimeter EJ, that should stop the edge beans keeling over ;D

[Hot_Potato]

oooh dear....I'm trying 'The Sutton' dwarf variety for the first time this year but have sown them in a row and half a second row with about 4" between each plant...packet said 40 seeds but way less than that - about 34 seeds so ran out!....didn't realise I should have sown them in a block!  ???......was late in getting them in but most seem to have germinated well and about 3 to 4" high at present but already show signs of black fly :o which has surprised me so early on!

[Tora]

I sowed them with potatoes (foremost) - at the same time in the same holes. Read Bob Flowerdew's book and learned that they do well together. Apparently potatoes provide support for broad beans and beans boost potatoes' yields.

Then I realised I should have done it with main crop potatoes.... doh! :D

[artichoke]

What happens to the beans as you earth up the potatoes? Do they benefit from the earthing up, or just survive it, or what, do you think? I would love to shove a few seeds in between my emerging earlies, but am not clear about the timing.... A thought for next year, anyway.

[spacehopper]

Is the site very windy? Sounds like he's trying to support them in some way?
Ours were just bunged in in october and left to get on with it. They are about two and a half feet tall now with quite a few flowers, so I'm hopefull for those. The ones we sowed in march have had poor germination and seem to have been eaten by something to boot.  :-\

[supersprout]

I'm trying 'The Sutton' dwarf variety ... didn't realise I should have sown them in a block!

No worries HP, they grow well either in blocks or in rows. The only reason I grow them in blocks is to fit nicely on a bed :) On the same bed I have two rows of tall peas, I was given enough of each variety for a row the width of the bed so that's what I did!

[mc55]

eek - not really knowing how tall they will grow, I built a fabulous frame from bamboo canes and willow ... one of my lottie neighbours came for a peek last week and fell about laughing - frames are 6ft high  :-[

Never mind, at least they look fab  ;)

[Tora]

What happens to the beans as you earth up the potatoes? Do they benefit from the earthing up, or just survive it, or what, do you think? I would love to shove a few seeds in between my emerging earlies, but am not clear about the timing.... A thought for next year, anyway.

To be honest, I'm not sure :D I'm growing them in a no-dig bed though, so I won't be earthing up potatoes. One thing for sure is you need do plant maincrop potatoes with beans. Otherwise the potatoes will be ready earlier than beans (can't believe I planted first early! ::)).
Bob Flowerdew says:
This combination works best for maincrop varieties of potato. When the sets are planted, sow broad beans in the same holes. These emerge before the spuds and shelter the latter's more tender foliage from the cold winds. If a frost is predicted a sheet can be laid over the bed, which will rest on the beans thus safeguarding the potato leaves. The beans crop and die away before the maincrop potatoes finish growing, so the leguminous beans give up their surplus nitrogen to the spuds, boosting their yields significantly.

[artichoke]

Thanks, Tora, that sounds very interesting. I pan to try it next year.

[artichoke]

...plan....

[powerspade]

I grow my broad beans 6" apart in double rows with string stretched between stout stakes around the rows. I always grow Bunyards exhibtion Ive tried the other and found they are best for my soil

[supersprout]

at lottie one chap has two double rows of canes tied at the top ( as you would for runners) and me thinking he was growing a lot of runners no broad beans. Never seen this done before so wondered if anyothers grew them this way?

Maybe he is going to put in something that climbs, and would enjoy the nitrogen, after he lifts the beans? (thinks:squash) ???