My Dad bless him has started 40 Broad beans off for me in his greenhouse. Not a huge problem I hear you say but this is after at least 3 conversations where he has suggested me growing them and I have declined as no one in my house really likes them.
I have a legume bed with only a row and half of peas in atm but I want to put in 2 rows of runners and a row and a half of main crop peas as well.
Can I cram in the broad beans and remove them before something else goes in, I can give them away at work so I don't have to hurt his feelings but I don't want to mess up plans for veg that we will eat.
Esre
hiya, esre, will they grow in pots,we planted 16 in 2 four foot rows, 9" apart, staggered, if that makes sense, but 40 , that's a lot of plants, :o dad's are lovely, aren't they ;D
Plant the broad beans where you want the runners to go but leave spaces for the runners. Broad beans overwintered will be done in June while runners are still thin and weedy.Runners may even benefit from the protection.
ididnt like broad beans until i grew my own. now they are one of my favourites. :)
Me too Sarah. I adore broad beans! We do them as a broad bean and roast baby plum tomato "stew" (Nick Nairn recipe). It involves peeling off their thick outer "shell" - the one round the individual bean that is, not the pod - which is very tedious but the resulting colour, texture and taste are phenomenal.
Thanks Eristic, thats a plan of action for me.
We will eat broad beans if they are there but I don't have them if given the choice. My son will eat just about any veg put in front of him (how lucky am I!) so I can use a few of them, it's just a little frustrating after 3 conversations where we discussed us not liking them. I even moaned about some old boys insisting that it was due to me never eating home grown when until this year I had only ever had home grown.
Can't wait for his runner bean plants next year though, swapping them for leek (if I can grow them) and brussels plants :)
Braod beans are fantastic, but most people prefer to eat them young. The seeds should be no bigger than a 1p when harvested, then they are very tender and sweet. I also like them bigger when they are mealy and nutty.
LOL, dads eh? It's done with the best of intentions, I'm sure. You know you have to grow them, and do your best to help them thrive. I say eat 'em young and you won't mind!
If the broadies are left in amoungst the runners you will get a justifiable return from the root nodules releasing fertilizer for the summer crops. Might look untidy at first but the runners will hide everything once they get going.
If you don't like the broad beans, trade them off. They are always in demand.
Pant them anyway - they are good for the soil!
You might even like them!
....and no I don't want them either - can't stand them!
Louise
XX