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Talkback: Growing and harvesting broad beans

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
I must have a go at growing them next year. Can some be sown in the autumn to produce earlier crops?
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Growing Broad Beans in my garden is slightly traumatic as the resident Jackdaws will pull up the young seedlings and eat the seed bean, and when the crop is almost ready, they descend in droves and strip the pods of their contents. This year however, a fruit cage has done the trick, still black fly and the lack of water this year to contend with. The end product though, is absolutely marvellous, and the added bonus is nobody else in the family likes them, so they are all mine!!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I've just pulled my first row of beans from the ground, the roots have a covering of nodules, white in colour, crinkly balls, anyone know if these will be OK to compost or do dispose of them??
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Reply to kparry: Well spotted. These are the nodules produced on roots containing nitrogen fixing bacteria. These are really beneficial, and so roots can either be left in the soil or added to the compost heap. They'll release nitrogen as they decompose, and this is a useful nutrient that following crops will be able to take up.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    what is the best killer
    to use to kill the roots
    to bamboo
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Thanks for the advice Adam
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I need to harvest mum and dad's dwarf french beans (they're away until the middle of August). Once picked is it best to freeze them and do you have to blanch them first?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    In reply to bean feast's question, I sow broad beans in october as well as Feb,March & April. I lost 50% of last years October crop due to the extremely cold winter, but the other 50% gave me beans a good two weeks before the Feb crop. I am waiting for the surplus beans now to make wine with, I did it last year and got a fab sweet fortified wine.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    My broad beans looked good when I harvested them, but when I opened them, some of them were completely empty - no beans at all inside although they looked swollen and full of beans. Any ideas why?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Reply to Tina: Check back to last September's issue of Gardeners' World Magazine where we published a comprehensive feature on preserving fruits and crops.

    For beans, blanch in boiling water for one and a half minutes, then plunge into cold water. Pat dry and freeze in a single layer on a foil covered tray. Once frozen, pack in portion sizes in freezer bags, sealing their top. Label and date bags. French beans can be stored for about 12 months.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Can anyone tell me why my broad beans have shrivelled and died? They did have a particularly bad attack of blackfly even after pinching out the tips, i sprayed them with a soap and water mix and removed as much as i could with my fingers when watering. The leaves started to go brown then the stems then the pods shrivelled, I've heard of something called "chocolate spot", do my beans have it and how can i prevent it happening again?
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