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Bean plant growing with my wildflowers??

travelthis16Tt2WwTPGtravelthis16Tt2WwTPG Posts: 10
in Plants
So about a month ago I bought this easy wildflower mix from a brand called doff and I simply just had to shake the box over the soil and then wildflowers would start growing for the summer. Fast forward to now and it’s been a couple of weeks, all around the garden the wildflowers have started growing but these really large plants have also started growing with them which look identical to broad bean plants when I’ve gone online and searched. I’m really confused why some sort of bean plant would be growing from my wildflower mix specially designed for flowers??? Does anyone have an idea what this big plant could be, or if anyone has had an experience with wildflower mixes that also result in some sort of veg growing let me know because I’m very confused ! 
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  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    edited April 2021
    Broad bean seeds are big so I would have thought they would have been pretty obvious in a wildflower mix. Do you remember seeing anything that big in the mix?
  • travelthis16Tt2WwTPGtravelthis16Tt2WwTPG Posts: 10
    steephill said:
    Broad bean seeds are big so I would have thought they would have been pretty obvious in a wildflower mix. Do you remember seeing anything that big in the mix?
    No which is what’s so strange to me. The seeds were very tiny and barely even noticeable when mixed in with all the sand and vermiculite which came in the packet 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I used to grow broad beans amongst the flowers in my inner city front garden ... the bees love the flowers ... passers by often stopped to ask what the unusual black and white flowers were ... and we had beans to eat. What’s not to love 😊 



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I don't suppose you (or someone else, helpful children?) could have already planted broad bean seeds in the same pot? They look evenly spaced and deliberate.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
    Could it be cerinthe? I had it in a mix from Sarah Raven last year and it is popping up all around the area I sowed that. https://www.sarahraven.com/seeds-to-sow/april-4/flower-seeds-to-sow-3/cerinthe-major-purpurascens.htm
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
  • travelthis16Tt2WwTPGtravelthis16Tt2WwTPG Posts: 10
    didyw said:
    Could it be cerinthe? I had it in a mix from Sarah Raven last year and it is popping up all around the area I sowed that. https://www.sarahraven.com/seeds-to-sow/april-4/flower-seeds-to-sow-3/cerinthe-major-purpurascens.htm
    The leaves from cerinthe look quite different to whatever the heck is growing with my wildflowers but maybe as they mature the leaves may change their appearance a bit. I’m pretty convinced these are beans at this point, I read a review someone left who bought the same wildflower mix as me saying they had full sized radishes grow with the wildflowers !!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I’ve noticed that some packs labelled ‘wildflower mix’ turn out to be a mix of plants that, whilst being good for pollinating insects aren’t necessarily all ‘wild flowers’ ... radish and other brassica flowers are loved by bees as are bean flowers. 

    It would be interesting to know the name of the seed company on the packet ... don’t suppose you still have it? 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • travelthis16Tt2WwTPGtravelthis16Tt2WwTPG Posts: 10
    Dovefromabove said:
    I’ve noticed that some packs labelled ‘wildflower mix’ turn out to be a mix of plants that, whilst being good for pollinating insects aren’t necessarily all ‘wild flowers’ ... radish and other brassica flowers are loved by bees as are bean flowers. 

    It would be interesting to know the name of the seed company on the packet ... don’t suppose you still have it? 
    Sorry for late reply, yes I do still have it I’ve inserted a photo below
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Does it have a list of varieties it includes?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • travelthis16Tt2WwTPGtravelthis16Tt2WwTPG Posts: 10
    Dovefromabove said:
    Does it have a list of varieties it includes?
    No it doesn’t list any varieties which is strange because nearly all of the other wildflower mixes I have bought have always listed the species. It says on the back 10g Wildflower mix, 715g sand, and 275g vermiculite but that’s about it
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