I'd like to make an autumn sowing of broad beans (Aquadulce Claudia) in a few weeks to have an early spring crop but am not sure if they'll tough out the winter.
I live in an exposed area where the temperature can drop to -18c for a day or two. Does anyone know the lowest temperature BBs will survive at?
I intend sowing under a cloche within my unheated polytunnel and under black plastic.
Do you think its worth having a go or am I better off waiting until early spring?
You should be fine Rhys, with A. Claudia is a hardy variety and is suitable for overwintering from an October/November sowing.
One year, I sowed this and found I had a nice early crop of broadies. I don't think I even cloched them.
I intend to sow broadies this autumn but would probably cloche them. Got The Sutton and Bunyards Exhibition for autumn sowing.
-18 is low but with a poly you should be OK... wind rock and waterlogging are the main killers not temperature per se.
::)
Found that if you can get hold of empty plastic 2ltr botttles, cut the base of, place over the plant or where youput the seed. put a small cane through the top of the bottle to hold it in the ground and you have a mini home made cloche.
It would be worth putting cloches or fleece on in early spring to get it moving that bit earlier, but don't worry about temperature. The one advantage of cloches over winter is that they might reduce waterlogging round the roots if we do get a wet one.