[maddave]

I'm starting to harvest the fruits of my first years labour.   

As I strip the crops dry, I'm a little unsure about what to do with items such as peas, broad beans etc, where I pick the veg and leave the main part of the plants still growing.  I need to sort out my plot some more, so dont plan on growing anything in the beds until late autumn or spring next year, but realise I need to tidy them up from this years growth.

I think I've heard you should leave legumes as they leave nitrogen in the soil, but does that mean leave to die and rot on the surface, or should they be dug up and composted?  broad beams are tall and quite thick stemmed, so are they ok to compost?

Thanks.

[JayG]

The latest thinking on legumes is that most of the nitrogen is 'trapped' in the leafy growth rather than in the roots - dig them out and compost the lot - the smaller you can chop up the thicker bits the sooner it will all rot down.

[mumofstig]

I cut peas at soil level. The tops for the compost heap and the roots can rot where they are, if nothing else is going in the bed

[maddave]

Perfect.  Thank you both.