[BigA]

Its the first year I've grown broad beans and they seem to be doing pretty well.  I grew them from seed last October and planted them out over Winter.    

The pods are about 3 or 4 inches long now and I wondered what is the best time to pick.  I've heard if you leave them too long the beans can get tough?

[WG.]

Depends a lot on the variety, I'd say.

I'd expect the pods to be 9 to 12 or more inches long at maturity.  You'll find that the beans inside grow quite late (you'll see them in outline from the outside).

Or try this & let us know if they're any good : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?p=53408#53408

[noshed]

I've been eating my little ones chopped up shells and all - lovely

[WG.]

I've been eating my little ones chopped up shells and all - lovely

Good to know.  Use as per french beans then?

[BigA]

Thanks for the advice, I'll probably wait until the beans fully form.  With all this rain, they've grown an inch over the weekend!

[milkman]

I feel the pods to see if there is anything worth harvesting - I'm currently picking a steady supply of small beans from pods that are about 8 - 9 inches long (they were overwintered).  

[dawninspain]

Hello BigA

Some of our broad beans we pick small, pod them, blanch them and then eat cold in salads.

For me they would have to be very, very tiny to eat the whole thing pod and all.

With the rest, if you do find that some  have become tough, they are easy to slip out of their skins after cooking - the bean inside the skin will be very tender.

Dawn

[VickyR]

Hi

lucky you - makes me wish I'd cleared my plot earlier and had some overwintered beans too.

I like to let some of my beans get really big and some would say leathery - then you can get them out of the skins as described by Dawn.  They make a really ace dip mushed up with some olive oil, tahini, lemon or the like...yum!  Alternatively you could just get em all whilst they're little and put them in the freezer.  But if you chance upon old beans give it a go, tis most tasty!

[noshed]

I was dubious about eating them whole but they're nice up to about 100mm long. Just wash off the blackfly.

[flowerlady]

And before the black fly settle you can nip out the growing tips and eat them in stir fry ... why should the bugs get all the juicy bits eh !!