[chickpeacurry]

I planted broad beans in the autumn they are about twelve inches high and full of flowers .  Will I get any beans later in the year if they are flowering . Would I have time to do them again if needed

[DD.]

Sow early, harvest early!

Now is the time for direct sowing for a later crop.

[Bing]

1. when you see the first set of flower appear, you should nip off the top of the plant to avoid black fly; (don't throw away the tops, they can be fried and they are delicious)

2. you can plant  more now to get another crop later but the risk of black fly is high.

3. some said that if you leave your plant alive after early harvest, the can produce another crop later in the year. but may not as many.

that's all I knew.

[AnneB]

I don't think I would pinch the tops off this early, especially if the beans are only 12" high.

[allotmentann]

Bing, I chopped mine back after cropping last year and got a second crop almost as big as the first.   

[DD.]

If you  nip the tops out when you see the first set of flowers, you'll be in for a poor harvest!

[Headgardener22]

The rules in my bible are "when the flowers are setting well - taller varieties will be 36 inches tall - take out the growing point and 6 inches of stem"

So Bing I think you are a bit early in you're pinching out.

[solway cropper]

And the pinching out is only necessary if you have a black fly problem. Thankfully I'm rarely bothered with it up here but in some areas it reaches plague proportions. Leave one or two plants unpinched and see what happens!

[beesrus]

Unfortunately I have probably 30% of my crop affected by chocolate spot due to the far too mild Autumn and wet Winter.
As and when they've succumbed I've cut them down to an inch and many new sprouts have appeared at the base. Not perfect, but at least I should get a decent crop.

They have been flowering for a few weeks now. Some plants I pinch when the first beans appear for bigger pods, some I just leave until the black fly arrive. Depends on the look of the plant.

[Robster]

I was intrigued by Allotmentann's comment about cutting down broad beans after the first crop and seeing them grow on for a second good crop.  I'd like to know more.  Has anyone else done this? 

Allotmentann what was your experience?

I will leave a bit of my broad bean patch and try this out.  Seems a pretty good idea.  All the roots are there should I cut them right down or leave 6-12 inches?

[allotmentann]

I found when I went to chop them down to compost after they had cropped they had thrown up new younger shoots at the bottom. I chopped all the old stems right back and left the smaller, younger ones. These grew on very quickly to good sized plants. I would definitely do it again. 

[Robster]

Thanks Allotmentann.  I'll give it a go

[A Reyt Tayty]

That's two of us then!

[cudders]

I really wish I liked Broad Beans.

I grew them once and the crop was huge but I find their skins too tough to enjoy them. 

It looks a real pain having to cook and then rub then off.

Is their an easier solution?

Cudders

[RJR_38]

If you pick very young their skins aren't even noticeable - the older they get the thicker the skins. Perhaps you need to try them when immature? They are also very sweet then and like peas are lovely raw straight from the pod. (Don't try this with supermarket ones  )