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  Is it too early or too late to grow broad beans? not very keen on them but want to plant something!!!


X Chas

It's much too late for autumn planting, and a bit early for spring. The end of next month would be more like it.

Well....the weather is so mild and damp that I think it would be well worth putting some in. My best BBs were put in just before the heavy snows and frosts of last year (Nov). They lay underground until I thought they were dead, and popped up strongly in early spring. They outdid the autumn sown ones, which did suffer under the snow.

For what it is worth, I chitted them first. This seems to give them some protection from creatures who like to eat them.

Gardening expert in the 'People' today says if you can get on your lotty put Broad beans in now,  I'm going to wait, :)

We start ours in loo rolls in the green house and when they are hardened off, stick em in the ground. Got a load in now.

You probably can put them in now, as long as you're not bothered by mice. But they won't do anything till the soil warms up. I've put them in too early in the mini greenhouses, and they just sit tight till it warms up. But what's the point, when the extra time just gives the rodents more opportunity for feasting?

I put my beans in trainers in Nov/ December in the poly and now they're 2'' tall and going out during the day. If it stays as mild as this they'll be out in a weeks time but well covered by netting- plus some jeyes  gently splodged at the end of the row.
Getting the bean well absorbed is probably the secret they aren't bothered with shoots and leaves.

I'd say give it a try. Its so mild that the autumn sown beans just keep growing. They are just about six inches now and I wonder what happens if the snow comes. I suspect they will germinate just fine unless the weather changes. As for mice, I've never known one eat a broad bean and I do have them on my allotment. I sowed carrots this week in the greenhouse border.

QuoteI put my beans in trainers

Nike? ;D

I only do Suttons beens, nobody likes them but me I have a large patio and I grow them in pots 8ltr with plant saucers for feeding and watering I grow enough to take me right through to the new year  I will soak mine at the end of this month and should bo picking end of june begining of july ;D

Quote from: Digeroo on January 08, 2012, 22:30:09

QuoteI put my beans in trainers

Nike? ;D

Jumping beans :P