to satisfy me craving for broad beans i sent for 300 seeds from the uk (13 quid) but only 30 germinated. that was a setback - suspect they rotted in the soil although it wasnt a rainy period here in czech bohemia - but least the survivors flourished. in fact i have never seen so many flowers on a bb and started to look forward to a bumper crop. BUT, as the flowers die off from the bottom up there are no bean pods. i may be paranoid, but i have been looking forward to this crop...can this happen, will i get no pods, no beans to see me through the winter, am i too impatient and pods will magically appear towards the top... help, help!
Patience bohemiabones. There will be bean pods. We have much the same problem each year. Broad beans flowering well, then nothing. All of a sudden bean pods. At the moment we have a plentiful supply.
As I said, a bit of patience. The beans will be there in abundance, trust me. ;D ;D
valmarg
Just to make you jealous....tonights havest (in the rain) 8)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d57/keef30/beans.jpg)
valmarg - thanks for those words of encouragement...more dead flowers dropping off today with no sign of pods but i will live in hope!
keef - you are cruel beyond belief and probably cannot imagine the traumatic effect a photo like that has on someone who hasnt had a bb for more than a year :)
What variety are you growing? I've always found Aquadulce Claudia pretty bombproof. Half of my last lot failed to get through the winter, but I still got a good crop. Grando Violetto haven't done much, though I'll probably save seed from the ones with less blackfly and see how they do next year. Crimson-flowered beans look healthy so far, but they're only six inches high at the moment. They tried very hard last year in hopeless conditions.
Robert - thanks for the reply...i have imperial green longpod, only the pods are not long but microscopic or non existent at present! never heard of Grando Violetto, or crimson flowered varieties, but will do a search...i am obviously way behind the times after over ten years in cz!
These are old-fashioned and obscure varieties; the Telegraph declared crimson-flowered extinct not long ago.
bohemiabones, I would stick with Imperial Green Longpod. That's what we grow, and at the moment could easily match keef's bowl of beans. You pick them young, when the beans are just showing in the pods, you should get some lovely young, small green beans as illustrated in keef's picture.
Oh yummy, yummy, drool drool drool. ;D ;D
OH and I have been looking at the broad beans that are for sale in the shops/supermarkets at the moment, and wouldn't give you a 'thank you' for them. They will be 'tough as old boots'.
It's one of the veggies that there is nothing quite as good as your own grown ;D
valmarg
The ones in the market in Birmingham are far too big as well. It's the usual story; they grow them as big as they can because they sell by weight not quality.
Similar problem - loads of flowers but they drop off with no sign of pod - just a stalk where the pods should be - been very wet so guessing that the flowers havent been pollinated - any advice would be appreciated
Wait and see. The pods do appear some time after the flowers drop off. Last year most of my Crimson-Flowered went unpollinated, but the weather then was far worse than it has been recently.
Thanks Robert, fingers crossed then!!
pods are appearing :D
you were right Robert-Brenchley, they take time...although some plants are still completely podless and others just a few pods. not a bb bonanza but valmarg was encouraging and i have already feasted on young - very small - green broad beans!
When did you sow them? I find that the best results by far are from an autumn sown crop - I too use Aquadulce. Start them off in pots in October, plant out them out at a couple of inches high in November and then just leave them alone over winter (when it gets really cold they look as if they will die but they don't.) For the last few years I have done this and have a great crop, ready in May/June before they blackfly take hold. Plenty for the freezer too.
this is the first year i have grown bb's-i know-the deprivation!and throughought the lottie the cry went up-shes putting them in FAR too late-should've put 'em in in the autumn-smirk snigger....
i had forgotton about them and put seeds in the ground at the end of may-the plants are now 4'tall-loaded with beans and flowers(tho it also looked like the flowers wouldnt come to anything-try as i might i couldn't see baby beanlets),not a hint of black fly...
so....whos smirking now ay?
ay?harhar!!
smug kitty
xx
I planted my last lot in June. I grow different varieties, and I'm staggering them so the seeds come true. Time will tell how successful the method is.
KathrynH - i was late sending for the seed from the uk (i live in czech) and put them in at the beginning of may - and like i said first young beans a few days ago.
the winter temperature here usually ranges from minus 5C to minus 20C and not sure if autumn sown beans would survive that...anyone any experience of that in the UK ;D
having said that for the last two years it hardly got below minus 8C - global warming? - anyone think they could survive that?
Do you get a layer of snow? That would make quite a difference. I don't know what the minimum temperature they can take is; I know they didn't appreciate our very mild, but long and wet winter, since it killed abhout half the Aquadulce Claudia I planted.
I'd suggest you try it and see. Are you from the same part of the world as Jan Hus?
After being in Prague at xmas and seeing the hoare frost that lasted for days, I would be surprised if they would overwinter.
But then thinking back to how our winters used to be back in the 50's they might be worth trying half of your seed under a cloche .
Back then winter started in October and by bonfire night we were into heavy frosts that seem to last through to mid april. An old wartime gardening leaflet from the 40's reccomended an autumn sowing.
Our winters have been rather mild I must admit, but I do remember a couple of years ago we had a heavy snow and several hards frosts. Lots of neighbours kept saying I should put a cover or fleece over my broad beans as they were looking very sorry for themselves and I did begin to doubt they would make it. However, I trusted my instincts and left them alone and sure enough, in the spring they perked up and I had a great crop. Give it a try!
thanks everyone for your comments and advice - i will give it a try this winter just to see as the winters do seem to get milder every year here.
Robert - we are 50 miles from the medieval walled town of Tabor (means camp)where Jan Huss and his followers founded their community. there are still many hussites around this region - they have a church in the next village to ours as well as many other towns.