[Ted Lester]

Hello all.
              Can anyone tell why my autumn sown broad beans only produce pods for about half their length despite them flowering to the full height. I always nip about 3 inches out of the tops to reduce blackfly numbers. I grow all my produce organically and dig in a good amount of compost prior to sowing. During their growing period they are kept well watered with liquid chicken manure and Comfrey. My favourite variety is aquadulce, although I have trialled others, but with the same result.

                                Thankyou now for any replies and solutions.

                                                                            Ted Lester. Shoeburyness.

[tode]

Could be that they weren't properly pollinated: too cold or too windy for the bees. Maybe too wet, as well?

There's a lot of produce that not supposed to fed while flowering: perhaps you were being too kind to them   

[Salmo]

This can happen if the beans are overcrowded. If you feed them heavily they will produce more leaf and bigger leaves. Keep in mind that you are trying to produce pods and beans.

I grow mine in a double row with the plants a foot apart along each row and the 2 rows a foot apart.