[mushroom]

Is now the time for sowing beans? I think i read somewhere that it was, but my beans say sow feb-june. These are french beans. Perhaps another bean?

[WG.]

French beans around May.

Broad beans now if you fancy but I'd leave them until Feb/Mar if I were you

[gobs]

Yes, it's overwintering broadbeans, type of Sutton or Aquadulce, I don't think there many more suited for over wintering. I do the letter.

But I think it just turned severe for the late end of sowing time, I would opt for doing some very early(Jan-Feb)in cold green house, window frame now.

Failing all that Witkiem Manita is a very fast variety from an early spring sowing.

[gobs]

Good at snap, are you?

[milkman]

Broad beans can be sown now - choose an aquadulce variety and protect them from cold winds when they start peeking through, until about March.  then they will have a shock and look decidedly ropey to the point you think you might as well pull em all up and start again, but don't, leave them and they will recover and produce beans in abundance without falling prey too seriously to blackfly.
here endeth lesson!

[WG.]

[milkman]

okay, so I'm the slowest typist here... :?

[mushroom]

cheers folks, I'll leave it till next year. got plenty to be getting on with on the allotment anyway, such as clearing more space  :o  

[Hampshire Hog]

Mushroom I would endorse comments from Milkman. Autumn sown broad beans were great for me this year the spring sown ones were murdered by blackfly. All you need is small area seeds are very robust my first lot sown a couple of weeks ago are coming on strong so I put in another row on wednesday. Good luck enjoy your plot whatever you do.

Cheers Hampshire Hog

[Aunt Sally]

Must get my broad beans in this week end  :!:  :!:  :!:  :!:

My autumn sown ones were much more successful than later ones this year.

[milkman]

me too aunty - my bean seeds have arrived and will be sown tomorrow, and i'll also be planting my garlic.

[Aunt Sally]

I've got onions, shallots and peas to sow now too  

[piskieinboots]

I'm trying sutton this year for overwintering, I have a few up and coming and will plant some more this weekend - cos I can   and cos my new raised veg bed it up and at it  

[Ropster]

Hi, I have just put in my Broad Beans and am wondering if I need to protect them from Pests, Im thinking mainly of Pigieons as I know they eat cabbiges and stuff like that. What are peoples experiences ? will the Pigeons eat my been shoots or even slugs ?

[gobs]

Usually no probs here, at all, winter gales, you might be thinking, not animal damage, depending type you have they can grow massive , have you got support?