Dwarf broad beans

Anyone had experience of these? I have a very tiny garden saw these in the shop thought I would have a go,planted them yesterday and today it has not stopped raining so that was a good start also been told you can eat the tops.

 

I assume you are talking about The Sutton? To be honest Rosietu they are very good. Several of my clients have veg plots and the only broad bean I use is The Sutton.

 

Is that considered winter hardy David?

I thought Aquadulce was the normal one for autunm sowing.

 

Rosietu has not asked about winter hardy broad beans, she has asked about dwarf broad beans. And there is only one dwarf broad bean, The Sutton.

 

The only reason I ask is because Rosie appear to be sowing them now, do you reckon they will survive?

 

Sorry Pete.They have been known to, though the udual one to sow at this tine of year would be Aquadulce.

 

That should read, usual.

 

Just got the packet out Yup the "Sutton" it is,
info on the packet sow outdoors Oct-Nov so here's hoping I still have the other half of the packet if they don't come up so can do it again in the spring.

 

Thats good rosie

 

Just one observation Rosie, you are not really going to gain anything by planting them now. Firstly, they will need enough growth to help them survive the winter if they haven`t got that they will just rot away. Secondly, even if they do put on enough growth once the really cold weather hits they are going to stop growing until the ground warms up in spring.

 

I also only grow dwarf broad beans, last year I tried growing over winter, I protected them with a wooden frame & plastic sheet when frost was forecast. The result was very poor & not worth the effort, I shall set in early spring & be sure of a crop in future.

ewal.

 

Hi Rosie, I planted some in autumn last year and I think they were sutton too, they were very good. I think it's a good idea to plant some in spring as well if you have room, though, because the autumn ones seemed to stop producing earlier as well as starting earlier.

Not sure from your post if you've grown other broad beans before - if you have you'll already know that straight from the garden they are fantastic, much better than the frozen ones!

 

Hi.

I've got about 20 or so suttons in 2 inch pots in the greenhouse. They are 3-4 inches high, one is about 6 inches.
Should I leave them in there, transplant to bigger pots, or put them in the ground?

Any ideas from the bean gurus out there?

cheers,
Dave

 

Dave, because of the weather I would be inclined to pot them on and wait untilk spring before planting them out, however , I would not keep them in the greenhouse all the time I would put them somewhere sheltered outside during the day so that they are growing " hard ".

 

Hi David.

Thanks, I'll pot them up, and plant them out next year then.
they can keep my solitary bonsai cauliflower(!) company

cheers,
Dave