Allotments 4 All

Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Leeds Lad on December 15, 2006, 21:12:55

Title: Broad beans
Post by: Leeds Lad on December 15, 2006, 21:12:55
I've just been up to Leeds to see the family before Christmas and my father-in-law presented me with some special broad bean seeds that he'd grown, he tells me that I should get eight beans out of each pod. Is this good? As a beginner I take every thing people tell me as truth, any comments?
Title: Re: Broad beans
Post by: supersprout on December 15, 2006, 21:55:37
Aww LL, family treasure! :D
If he says there'll be eight beans to a pod and he's your father in law, he probably ain't fibbing ;)
Quite a few longpod varieties will grow erm, long pods with lots of beans, most of them are tall stately plants so you might need to be ready with a few stakes in the corners and lengths of string.
What a lovely pressie.
Good luck, when they come up notice whether the beans are white or green and post some pics, bet someone will be able to ID the variety 8)
Title: Re: Broad beans
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on December 15, 2006, 22:10:13
Anyone tried the red-flowered ones? POD have them, and I'm tempted.
Title: Re: Broad beans
Post by: saddad on December 16, 2006, 16:18:32
I tried the Heritage Seed Library Crimson Flowered a couple of times without success so I've ordered some of these too!
;D
Title: Re: Broad beans
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on December 16, 2006, 16:41:42
Robinson & Sons have them as well.
Title: Re: Broad beans
Post by: supersprout on December 16, 2006, 18:17:11
I did try some red bbeans given as a swop Robert, Red Epicure. The flowers were fabulous and the beans were fine, but not as intense and sweet a flavour as the Windsor and Sutton IMO. Worth it for the flowers though?
Title: Re: Broad beans
Post by: saddad on December 16, 2006, 23:00:17
Red Epicure are our favourite... red beans but white flowers from Unwins!
;D
Title: Re: Broad beans
Post by: supersprout on December 17, 2006, 00:43:23
ooer dad, mine definitely had gorgeous red flowers on - :o golly I wonder what it was I grew then ??? and where are those Red Epicure swops (grubs in seed bag) :P
Title: Re: Broad beans
Post by: Curryandchips on December 17, 2006, 16:44:50
Just done a bit of searching with the well worn Google, to discover that Broad beans cross very easily, so you could well have something which is not what it says on the packet ... (assuming there was a packet), but if given as a swap, they may have been collected seed  :D