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Hi

I am frantically looking for stuff to grow over winter, my brother chucked some Bunyards Exhibition Broad Beans at me that he had left on the stand in his shop.

Has anybody grown them? Are they as tasty as they look?

Thanks, and I hope your not getting sick of me keep asking questions,  its just that I like my grub  ;D
Michelle.

Hi,

They're one of the two varieties I have settled on growing ( the other is Witkiem Manita), so I'd say they are tasty and any easy crop to grow.  having said that, I never bother with autumn sowing of broad beans as for me they don't really give me that much of a head start on the spring sown ones.  Maybe depends on where you are in the country and your soil.

Cheers

I am very keen on Bunyards exhibition. Easy to grow, lovely tasting beans. I have only ever sown them in spring though.

Quote from: Greenqueen on September 20, 2010, 16:25:59
Hi

I am frantically looking for stuff to grow over winter, my brother chucked some Bunyards Exhibition Broad Beans at me that he had left on the stand in his shop.

Has anybody grown them? Are they as tasty as they look?

Thanks, and I hope your not getting sick of me keep asking questions,  its just that I like my grub  ;D
Michelle.

I grow them every year and I consider them amongst the best on the market for taste & yield.

Just a couple of points, they are not for winter sowing, and they grow extremely tall 6ft +.

Bunyards is the one I grow. Also sow in the Spring. Never got on with Aquadulce

Quote from: heloise on September 20, 2010, 17:23:27
I am very keen on Bunyards exhibition. Easy to grow, lovely tasting beans. I have only ever sown them in spring though.

Wow - it was just like i had written this post.  totally agree with this.

I've sown them in pots in the greenhouse in October/November. 

I have been growing them for over 50 yrs but I sow them in March. Tasty fresh and freezes well

They're good for spring. But for over-wintering, it's Aquadulce. If you get a mild winter, they do well and crop earlier than the spring-sown. (And usually get in before the blackfly arrive.) Last winter, all of mine were killed by the frost, although quite a few on our site got away with it. (Mind you, we are in the deepest south down here in London!)

My father used to grow them but he always reckoned they were a chance call for overwintering in Berkshire. He'd have two rows (40 foot rows) of Aquadulce and any spare Bunyards that he wouldn't need "for the proper three rows" next year. I only remember one year when it really worked and we were basically drowning in broad beans all summer long.

I've got lots of Aquadulce and various other BB seed this year (thanks you Wyevales 50p sale) so I'm planning on treating them almost as green manure.... I'll cover the plot in Aquadulce and any of the other BB seeds I've got that I don't need "for proper" next year, if they crop before I need the ground next year then great, if they don't then they'll just get cut down and ploughed in....makes sense to me to have something in the ground that might giver a crop and won't hurt if it doesn't.....

chrisc

First time I have grown them this year and even on my poor soil they gave me 5'+ plants and plenty of beans. Grew Aqua Dulce as well and was not so keen on these.

Pretty much in agreement with everyone else-it`s an excellent bean but not really one to over winter

Thanks for all the great advise.

I think I will start them next year, though I may try a sneaky one or two in Autumn just to see :)

Thanks again, you are very helpful.

After reading this thread maybe I should give them another go this this year

thanks
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