Broad Bean Seeds (Aquadulce Claudia)

Known as the best broad bean for autumn sowing, Aquadulce Claudia has won numerous awards and produces delicious white seeded beans in pods of up to 23cm (9in) long. Perfect for Autumn planting and left outside for overwintering. Aquadulce Claudia is a very hardy broad bean that establishes early.

Visit the GIY Veg directory for more growing details and tips.

Broad beans can be sown directly in the soil, or you can sow in module trays for transplanting later.

Sow ‘early’ broad beans in October for a crop in May/June, but only do so if your soil is good – they won’t fare so well in wet, heavy clay.

Alternatively sow between February to April for a summer crop.

Sow seeds 5cm deep, 15cm apart in rows 30cm apart. You can apply the same spacing if transplanting from modules.

Keep the area weed free and water if the soil is dry at the flowering stage.

Pinch out the top growing shoot when the plant starts to set pods.

Plants can get blown over so you can enclose a row of broad bean plants within a ring of twine strung between canes.

Start cropping from the bottom of each plant and work your way up.

They can be harvested at the mange tout stage (i.e. before the individual beans form) when they are about 10cm long, or left for podding for individual beans.

Don’t let the beans get too large or they will become tough, unless you want to skin the beans.