Growing broad beans is very easy. They can produce a crop as early as mid-June, depending on when you sow the beans.

There are 2 types of broad beans. The longpod types are the hardiest of the broad beans and are the favoured broad bean to sow in autumn. The Windsor varieties have smaller pods but they are very tasty broad bean, and are best sown in the early spring.

Soil

Broad Beans are pretty tolerant and can be grown in any type of soil. They do have a preference though – they prefer a deep free light draining soil which has been well manured from the previous year. They do like to be grown in a sunny site.

How To Sow

Broad beans are frost hardy and will germinate in cold soil temperature. If your soil is light and free draining you can sow broad beans in early autumn. Most vegetable gardeners sow broad beans in February or March. An autumn sowing will crop about three weeks earlier than a spring sown brad beans.

It is possible to start growing broad beans seed under cover. Some gardeners feel this can give you a more reliable germination. Fill 3” pots with multi-purpose compost and sow one seed per pot. Water and place in a cool but frost-free place. Don’t put them in a heated greenhouse as this makes them fail to germinate.

A week or two before sowing the broad bean seed you can add a nitrogen fertilizer to the soil – to give them a good start. Broad Beans do produce their own nitrogen in small little nodules in the root system, but this doesn’t ‘kick-in’ until the plants begin to grow more strongly.

You can take a dipper and make a hole in the soil around 2 to 3” deep and place one seed per hole. Sow around 6 – 8” apart. Or alternatively you can dig out a drill in the soil to a depth of 2” and place the seeds 6 to 8” apart. Sow 2 rows together about 8” apart.

If you want to sow more then a one double row, then leave about 18” between the next double row. Cover the broad beans with the soil and water if the weather conditions are dry.

Broad Bean looking After The Crop

When you are growing broad beans you will need some kind of support because of their height. The simplest method to support them is to insert four canes at each corner of the growing area and either run two levels of string around the canes – or put some kind of wire mesh along the four sides of the area. This will give them some support in windy weather.

Broad beans do not like drought so if the weather is dry you will need to water them. Ones the plants are up you can mulch between the plants to prevent water loss. You can use grass clippings, compost or manure.

When you are growing broad beans they are very prone to aphid attacks which feed on the growing tips of the broad beans. When the broad bean plants reach about 3ft high you need to pinch out the tops of the growing stem to help prevent aphid attacks. Removing these should minimize the severity of any aphid infestation.

Harvesting Broad Beans
Broad beans are tastiest when young and tender. When the pods start to swell and when the width is around 1” then the pods are ready to be harvested, harvest regularly.

You can also freeze the beans. To freeze them, pick them fresh, pod them and place in a plastic bag or container and freeze.

Pests & Diseases

Broad beans are easy to grow and don’t suffer from pests in general. Their biggest problem is aphids which can ravage the top of the plants.

If your broad beans are attacked by aphids you will see misshapen leaves which curl-up at the edges. Aphids can also leave a gooey stuff on the leaves and on the growing tips.

You can spray the broad bean plants with derris which is a natural insecticide or make a mixture of a squirt of washing-up liquid and water and shake this and spray this on the tips of the plants. It also helps to pinch out the growing tips of the broad beans stem this helps reduce the amount of food available for aphids.

Broad Beans Varieties To Try Are:

Longpod

Aquadulce – A popular autumn sowing broad bean.

Imperial – A high yielding broad bean.

Express – A very fast maturing broad bean and also a heavy cropper.

Windsor

Green – Renowned for its flavour.

White – The white version and a lovely flavoured broad bean.

Growing broad beans are easy and I hope you decide to start growing broad beans in your garden.