[denbo73]

Do you soak broad beans befor planting cos these seem very hard ,and would you sow them in a heated green house now  :?:
Thanks denny.

[muntjac]

the answer to that is no on both counts mate  , if its dry wednesday sow them then on ya plot . in rows 10 in apart . aim for a block of them . couple days drying on the soil will save ya having sticky boots . yip i use again is a hand ful of sand pop the seed in and then a handfull sand again . cover to stop mice getting at em with wire for now until the break through

[supersprout]

On the other hand, I always soak beans before sowing! Just to give them a head start like. Overnight, then 1-3 days sprouting, depending on when I get down to the plot

[Eristic]

For indoor sowing, I would soak for 24 hrs but for outside sowing there is no point. Broad beans are pretty hardy plants and the only reason I sow mine individually in pots indoors is to get one over the mice and the jays.

Don't give them heat or they will grow week. Once germinated, put them outside every day and as soon as they get leaves on plant them out. If grown under heat you will have to harden them off for a couple of weeks and you will be no further forward.

Most varieties can be sown or planted at any time when the weather is suitable.

[denbo73]

I got told to put em in peat pots bring em on to stop the mice etc etc, but i take your word munjak.
cheers
And eristic

[Eristic]

grow week

Weak even.

[denbo73]

So the frost we may get, or not wont bother them  :?:

[Eristic]

Severe frost will give them a nip or even kill them in extreme cases but normally they would re-shoot if the top was burnt.   Its a trade-off between early or safe. Most losses occur from the ravishes of wildlife. Jays eat almost a whole packet of beans sowed in November and left neat holes to make it easier for me to plant some more. One of the disadvantages of growing next to a nature reserve.

[bandoboy]

put my broad beans in end of last year and now they are about 4/5 inches and coming on realy strong. its my first year in this game so should i give them some support now as during the recent bad weather they had a bit of a bashing these and some garlic are the first things i,ve planted and they are both doing really well can't wait to get planting more roll on march

[Zak the Rabbit]

about 4/5 inches and coming on realy strong

I put mine in late autumn, when frost threatened i put them under an 18inch high polytunnel. Ive just removed the tunned 'cos they are pressing against the top! :?  Theres even flower buds on 'em. Im sure i need to pinch off the buds, but not sure when or how many, will need to check.

the early frost did nip them a bit on the lower leaves, but apart from that they are doing fantastic