Broad Bean (Aqua Dulce)

Broad Bean Seeds:

Broad beans are generally the first legume to produce a crop, making them one of the first new season crops of the year. Broad beans are an ideal veg to try out if you are a beginner GIYer, as they are very easy to grow, prolific, and they freeze well. They are also a hardy crop – they can survive in harsher conditions, such as frost, unlike most veg and will grow in any moderately fertile soil.

Sow

• 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.

Grow

• 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.

Harvest

• 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.

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