[Grubbypaws]

This is the first year that I have grown broad beans and I am a convert.  I have grown The Sutton and am impressed. I would like to grow them again next year. Can I save some of the beans to sow next year? If so how do I go about it?

[jambop]

I have saved seeds from French beans and from broad beans. The French beans gave 99% germination then next year... not one of the broad bean seeds germinated ??  I have no idea why this happened but I would think that you should be able to save the seeds.

[CHRISDONOHUE]

Probably the best and easiest way to save broad beans is to leave the seeds on the plant until they go black with dry pods.   PIck the dry pods and the dried seeds will easily come out.   However, if you are towards the south of the country, I would suggest buying some Aquadulce or Aquadulce Claudia which are winter-hardy - Wilko usually do 40 seeds of Aquadulce for about £1 - so that you can sow them in October/November and get a very good crop of beans in late May to middle of June depending on the weather rather than second week of July and avoid blackfly which tends to affect Spring-sown beans.   You will get a much larger crop than with The Sutton which is a dwarf variety.

[Grubbypaws]

I have saved seeds from French beans and from broad beans. The French beans gave 99% germination then next year... not one of the broad bean seeds germinated ??  I have no idea why this happened but I would think that you should be able to save the seeds.

Did the bean seeds have small holes in them signifying broad bean seed beetle? I have seen a YouTube video which says that after thoroughly drying the beans you should put them in the freezer for some time to kill the beetles.

[CHRISDONOHUE]

Even broad bean seed with holes in can be sown and usually give about 50% of the germination of normal bean seed.