[Lardman]

Last year was bad but this year seems to be much worse 

Those that germinated ~60% are less than 4 inches high and it looks someones given them a short back and sides with pinking sheers.  These are The Sutton dwarf and Stereo both from Moles. Even the extra ones I put in compost are poor, Im thinking the very dry start to the year hasn't done them any good at all.

Im really struggling with them on this soil, they used to be so reliable and fool proof 

[sunshineband]

Mine have lacy edges to their leaves as well 

General concensus is it is pea weevil

Never had a problem before with broad beans, and this year 

[prakash_mib]

In our plots most of them had lost the crop of broad beans this year. except one guy's who lives on the allotment (literally!! his back garden doors opens into his plot. i wonder if he has keys)
Anyways I was watching his broadbeans and learning and he has got it to the flowering stage now after three sowings. You might be right with the dry weather because he is the only guy who can use hose from his house straight into the plot.

[sunshineband]

Lost the first lot when they froze solid in the winter, thawed all black and then died 



Like the idea of coming straight out of the back door onto the plot 

[Ice]

Yup, as m'learned friend sunshineband says, pea weavil.

[prakash_mib]

Like the idea of coming straight out of the back door onto the plot 

I am just waiting for that property to come to market. 

[sunshineband]

I am sure you could make him an offer he cannot refuse 

[andy135]

I must've been lucky. I put 33 seeds into newspaper pots and put them on a north facing bedroom window sill and all of them came up. I then put them out into the cold frame for a couple of weeks. I planted them on the lotty two weeks ago under fleece and they are now about 8 inches high with no sign of damage. Beginers luck?

[Lardman]

Yup, as m'learned friend sunshineband says, pea weavil.

Yes they were a new pest to me last year - I would have expected the beans to have grown away from them by now, but they seems so retarded. At this rate they will miss the new spuds.

I look forward to the first broadys, some new pots and a thick slice of gammon each year - its tradition.  I've not managed a good crop since I moved here. Last year out of 45ft of beans there weren't even enough to freeze.

[viettaclark]

My Aquadulce planted last November survived the Winter and are now 2' high with masses of flowers and pods already formed!!! And no blackfly (yet!)
I'll definitely be doing the over-wintering thing again.

[kingdhesiii]

Mine have lacy edges to their leaves as well 

General concensus is it is pea weevil

Never had a problem before with broad beans, and this year 

Whats this look like, i mean the leafs.

[kingdhesiii]

and is it ok to leave it or does it need action !!

[davmabz]

hi , im new to this , but a fella who,s been growing for donkeys years told me to puff them with ant powder to keep the bugs off, and so far its worked

[chimaera]

Mine largely survived the winter and are now covered in flowers, problem is they are only 15-20cm tall. Should I still take out the tips or let them grow on and hope they get to full height? The leaves and flowers are ragged from weevil attack.

Charlie

[diggerjoe]

Mine suffered the dreaded weevil thing as I'd nurtured them all carefully I gave in and blasted them with bug spray - they are not going to get my beans and peas The red flowered broad beans planted at home romping away no problem but the plot is very exposed and if one plot gets weevil we all get it!