[A Reyt Tayty]

OK, just leave the beans on the plant until they go black, then shell the beans, dry them, then dry them some more. Fine. Question: why does the bean not rot? 2nd question: could you not bother waiting for the pods to turn black and just pick the beans as normal, but let some dry out to save for seed?

[mumofstig]

They need to mature on the plant - they won't be mature if you pick them too early.

[azubah]

I saved broad bean seed last year.
I did not wait for them to go black, but did leave them on the plant till I felt that they were mature. I like to pick them in dry weather.
If you pick them too early they may not be big and ripe enough. I like to see large seed as I think they have more energy and produce larger stronger plants.
They need to be dried out enough to stop them going rotten. The rotting fungus or bacteria need the right conditions to grow. If the seed are dry they cannot get in there and thrive.

[gavinjconway]

I'll stick to 99p for a pack of 50 sounds a better deal than all the fuss of collecting my own.. But you should let them mature and dry on the plant if you want to collect your own..

[A Reyt Tayty]

I'll stick to 99p for a pack of 50 sounds a better deal than all the fuss of collecting my own.. But you should let them mature and dry on the plant if you want to collect your own..

I often wonder wether it's worth it, but it's all part of the experience isn't it? Like growing anything. It's cheaper to go and buy most veg than  grow it, but it's the growing of it that's all part of the game.