[Urbanite]

Hi, my november planted Aquadulce Claudia are now about a foot tall (some a little more, some a little less), I noticed the other day whilst on the plot that some have started to flower already, this seems very early, will they continue to grow as they flower?

[gremlin]

Yes they will continue to grow and flower, until the dreaded blackfly get them.  You should pinch out the top few leaves - ideally when you first see them, otherwise they suck the plant dry, like they did to all of mine last year. 

I think BB are insect pollinated, so it may be a bit early in the year to get the first few flowers set.

[muckyboots]

Hi sorry to but in but am i to late to sow seed now as i tried and lost with all last years seeds (shan't do that again).Ta

[mrsbean]

Hi, same question from me. Put some in modules monday in the hope they may do something.

[Yorkie]

Hi sorry to but in but am i to late to sow seed now as i tried and lost with all last years seeds (shan't do that again).Ta

You should be OK 

http://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-month-help/garden-march.php

[mrsbean]

Thanks Yorkie.

[Vagabond]

That's a relief, because I planted my beans yesterday and today.

[Bing]

mine are full of flowers but a lot shorter than normal.

there are no bees or butterflies yet, how could they get pollinated?

[Salmo]

Overwintering beans are usually early enough to escape black fly.

Flowers now will be pollinated if we get the warmer weather promised in the coming week. Bees are busy on the spring flowers in the garden and they will find the beans. If we get rainy or windy days the bees will not fly.

Broad beans planted now will crop OK but will probably grow a bit tall and need support. They will also be vunerable to being smothered by blackfly. Once there is a reasonable amount of flower buds forming pinch out the tops as it is the young new leaves where the blackfly first establish before spreading on to the pods.