The early broad bean variety, Express, matures quickly, thus producing a very early crop of broad beans.
ExpressBroadBeanPods
Broad Bean Express:
shelled-broad-beans-Express
Click this link to order the variety Express Broad Bean
The Lodged Broad Beans have matured earlier than the broad beans that were staked
stake-broad-beans
If the broad beans are not staked, and consequently fall over due to heavy rain or strong winds, they will not be able to reach their full potential. As soon as they blow over, the broad beans start to mature instead of continuing to feed the pods.
It is worth tying broad beans to a stake if they are growing on fertile soil, as they grow tall and tend to blow over in heavy rain or wind.
LodgedBroadBeans
When the broadbean plant blows over it ‘lodges’ with other broad bean plants and stays close to the soil. Some of the leaves will be hidden from bright light so the broad bean pods will not be fed so well which means that they will not grow and fill with good sized broad beans.
lodged-Optica-broad-beans
The beans in the picture lodged at a late stage in their growing period, so will provide a decent harvest. But if the lodging had happened at flowering time, the broad bean pods would not have filled properly.
broad-bean-plant-Optica
It is well worth taking the time to stake broad beans.
There are two schools of thought on how to freeze broad beans – some people blanch the beans before freezing and some don’t.
Blanching involves plunging the beans into boiling water to stop all enzyme activity with the beans, so the beans stay exactly as they are without any deterioration. Therefore, the healthy vitamins and minerals will remain in the beans. After a couple of minutes at boiling point, the beans are dropped into ice-cold water, to stop the cooking process.
Podding-Medes-BroadBeans
To freeze broad beans by blanching:
To freeze broad beans without blanching:
It is worth trying both methods, to decide how to freeze broad beans for yourself.
Farming Friends & TopVeg have now collaborated to create a How To Grow Broad Beans growing card.
how-to-grow-broad-beans-sheet
If you wish to print off this growing card, right click on the enlarged image and then click print picture to print out a copy.
If you would like this document as a pdf, just contact TopVeg and we will email you the How To Grow Broad Beans growing card.
Click this link for a video on YouTube showing How to Prevent Blackfly from Damaging your Beans.
broad-bean-top
Here is another link for information on blackfly control.
Why are some mature broad bean pods empty, with immature, undeveloped beans?
ExpressBroadBeanPods
Broad bean pods tend to be empty at the start of the season, before the conditions are right for the beans to set.
Gardeners often pinch out the tops of broad beans to curb black fly. We very rarely pinch out the tops. But if blackfly are a problem, the tips may be pinched out when the first pods are set.
To pinch out the tops:
* first select the top of the broad bean plant
broad-bean-top
* find broad bean top
find-broad-bean-top
* Hold the tip between finger and thumb
pinch-out-top-of-broad-bean
* pinch the tip so that it breaks away from the plant
top-of-broad-bean
Chocolate Spot on Broad Beans (Latin name – Botrytis cinerea and Botrytis fabae)
Chocolate spot is a fungal disease which attacks Broad Beans in the
vegetable garden.The leaves and stems, when affected, are covered with
dark brown lesions, which look as though they have been covered in
chocolate powder.
*Causes of chocolate spot*:
* overcrouding – dense crop with lush growth
* high humidity – wet season
* acidic growing conditions
* too much nitrogen fertiliser
* winter sown crops more susceptible
*To avoid chocolate spot*:
* give plants plenty of space
* do not apply nitrogen fertiliser
* burn affected plants after harvest
*Effects of Chocolate Spot on Broad Beans*
* beans are still edible, although the pods are discoloured
* reduced yield as pods do not fill
* death of plants if severe
A mild attack of Chocolate Spot on broad beans in the vegetable garden
is not a disaster. A satisfactory crop of beans may be harvested. It
is a warning to give broad beans a healthy start next year with plenty
of space for air to be able to circulate round them.
Every vegetable gardener has to decide when broad beans are ready to harvest.
A lot depends on how the individual likes to eat them – small, sweet & tender, or large with flavour!
broad-bean-pods-filling
If the pods have swollen and the beans inside are properly formed, but still really small and sweet, the whole pod can be cooked and eaten with the beans inside.
ExpressBroadBeanPods
It is always a balance between yield and sweet tenderness. (more…)
Powered by WordPress
