anyone else having a terrible year with broad beans?
My first batch of Broad beans will be ready to pick next weekend and they are looking good, I managed to pull all the tops before any Blackfly could do their stuff, :)
Quote from: Bugloss2009 on June 19, 2011, 21:37:19
anyone else having a terrible year with broad beans?
No actually it looks like it could be one of our best crops.pulled all the.tops off early to date and no blackfly!!
i haven't got any blackfly to speak of, but I don't have many beans either, to speak of
My first batch did very badly, but the second, planted after the hot spell, is looking much better.
This is my first year with broadbeans. Plenty pods were on the other day so should be ready next weekend. I have not nipped out the tops to prevent blackfly, just left them to their own devices. Does it make much difference pinching the tops out ???
I very much doubt it. Either blackfly is confined to the tips and the flower stalks and doesn't bother them much, or it covers them altogether and potentially overwhelms them.
Down patch on Saturday and the broad beans are looking great with pod about 8 inches long I wont have to wait musch longer for first pick. This year looks to be my best crop for 11 yrs. no blackfly no chocolate spot all plants look really clean and heathy.
Our over wintering Aquadulce had a bad time over the winter for the second year.Had to fill in the gaps.We have harvested some but not as good as they should be.
Sowed some Bunyard Exhibition in Spring and they look amazing will be ready in about 3 weeks.
Will not be overwintering again. Waste of effort.
I sowed Aquadulce in Feb for same reason as Shirlton- these last two hard winters- and they are brilliant. I'm picking now as I only like them at 5" when beans a lot smaller.
We've been eating them for a fortnight - just small but they're better that way! Had some blackfly that washed off with a dilute washing up liquid spray & now all looking very happy. Still loads more to come. These are from spring sowings & our best results ever. Oh, and FWIW I don't think pinching out the tips does anything much to the blackfly so I don't do it any more.
Quote from: Bugloss2009 on June 19, 2011, 21:37:19
anyone else having a terrible year with broad beans?
YES - one of the worst !!
Here in North Cornwall my beans are superb. The best I've ever grown. They're spring sown as I lost the over-wintering broad beans to pigeons. I failed to net them, but these are wonderful.
Peter
Well.....not to make you envious but I brought home 3 full carrier bags full yesterday!! definitely my best year to date - mostly spring grown ones with a very few which survived the winter
I wasn't going to bother as blackfly is often a problem on my site however I did and it wasn't!
I picked the first pods today and I'm well pleased with them. :)
I've never had much luck overwintering broad beans, I chit my Bunyard Exhibitions before planting Feb onwards in three batches so I'm not overwhelmed come picking time.
This year it was a dead heat with the blackfly, I got my first plateful the same day as they did.
My beans are block-planted at close spacing, so the blackfly can only really land on the tips, which I nip off AFTER the blackfly have landed. A daily inspection keeps them clean.
How close do you space them russel?
I also block plant them - a hand width apart. Been picking them for a couple of weeks. I also do batches of about 12 - so that there is enough for a meal each time. First batch has another fortnight to go and just started the second batch.
A tale of 2 places really.In the garden I have had loads but at the allotment they are covered in blackfly and I have not had one.
Not problems with blackfly so far but still having problems with AP (Aminopyralid). I hate Dow. Last year it had worn off from previous year but this year very persistant. I think the dry weather does not help. I also cooked a batch in bottle cloches over Easter. It was 27C. Normally very good with BB so rather gutted by my failure.
Finally got a batch looking very good but it has only just started to flower.
I have a packet of express I forgot to sow earlier on, put it in the freezer and forgot about it. So I think I will put it in now and see what happens. Got it cheap so nothing much to loose.
I've been lucky, as though some of my aquadulce died under the snow and ice, many survived and gave me plenty of really early beans, and the extra seeds I put in the gaps have followed on and been even more productive in spite of blackfly attacks. A new block of plants are coming on nicely. Remind me - when is it too late to sow broad beans, in anyone's experience? (South East) I really enjoy them, and have lots packed away in the freezer.
Davejg, last year I spaced at 5 inches each way, this year I am at 7 inches each way. It does not sound much different but 25 sq inches is half of 49 sq inches so it is really a lot. The 7 inch spacings look better but I won't know the yield until harvest is complete. All I can say for now is that it is not a mistake.
If you plant BBs at these close spacings You must water them well, particularly when they are growing, flowering, or filling pods. I suppose that means all the time.
A good year here for the broadies and haven't pinched the tips at all due to an abundance of these helpful Soldier beetles eating all the aphids :D (I love to watch the predators at work...mwah ha ha ;D)
(http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv179/knottygal/253851_2002521219993_1152453026_32196099_2887499_n.jpg)
(http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv179/knottygal/240766_1956203262073_1152453026_32132848_4082349_o.jpg)
Not a single black fly on any of ours this year. Hope I havent spoken too soon :-X
Thanks russel, mine are / will be in beds so i will give the 7" spacing a go.
Mine had no blackfly untill this week.