Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: puravida on March 11, 2008, 07:00

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: puravida on March 11, 2008, 07:00

Just been listening to some of Terry Walton's podcasts on a long motorway journey. They're each about 30 mins and I find them very interesting. My wufe likes his sing-song voice too!

Anyway - his trick for broad beans is to take a handful of damp compost, chuck it in a freezer bag with a handful of broad beans, then leave it sealed  in the airing cupboard for 4-5 days.

This way - all the good seeds will germinate before you put them in pots or in the ground and you;re not wasting time & space with duds.

Made sense to me so much to my wife's delight there's a bag of my broad bean seeds in with the spare towels today....

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: compostqueen on March 11, 2008, 09:02

he's got a lovely voice  :D

He's had a lotty since he was a young boy and knows what he's on about  :D

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: GrannieAnnie on March 11, 2008, 09:11

Makes a change from the usual putting them in damp kitchen towel for 4-5 days!     May try that one!!!!!  runner beans too!!!   Peas????  !!

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: gobs on March 11, 2008, 10:24

Very few broad beans seem to ever go missing, but a lot of peas and beans do in some areas. Very good for those folk, who can't sow them in situ.

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: stewartcjones on March 11, 2008, 11:35

were do i find terrys podcasts ??

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: mashauk on March 11, 2008, 12:03

The old manager from our lottie said he puts all his seeds in the freezer overnight, something about tricking them into thinking it's spring when they come out of hibernation!

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: puravida on March 11, 2008, 18:29

Quote from: "stewartcjones"

were do i find terrys podcasts ??

I download them through iTunes. From within iTunes head to the podcast directory then just type Terry Walton into the search box.

You can download one at a time or subscribe which means you'll automatically download new episodes as and when they are published. There are five so far and they started in Nov 07 and the latest was end Feb 08. Each is about 30 mins but really, really interesting!

It's all free too!  :D

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: Aidy on March 11, 2008, 20:28

been trying that method after listening to him, must something I am doing wrong coz me beans going mouldy!! think I will stick to me old method.

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: gobs on March 11, 2008, 21:01

Sealing the bag smells fungi to me. :roll:  :lol:

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: ditchdigger on March 11, 2008, 21:28

better off not in the warmth of the airing cupboard. broad bean are pretty tough i wouldn't have thought they need that sort of heat.

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: gobs on March 11, 2008, 21:34

Quite right, they don't. They germinate on amazingly low temperatures, like 2-5C 8)

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: puravida on March 11, 2008, 21:36

Maybe I misheard and it was a different sort of bean??
I've chucked a few in there anyway!!

Title: Terry Walton's Broad Bean Trick
Post by: gobs on March 11, 2008, 21:42

You might have not at all. All these programs need an element of novelty to compete with each other.
They will germinate very fast on higher temperatures but then they don't need it.