It’s broad bean season and they are providing faster than I can pick them.
While I have already covered how to Grow Broad Beans from seed in a previous moment of clarity, I can now add to it!
Supports
The trick we have found for a tidy garden and a happy plant is to give the broad bean plant some support. Unlike other beans of the climbing variety, ‘broadies’ need a little help before they are fully grown. Be it wind, the weight of the plant or a forceful squirt of your garden hose, they are likely to bend. In doing so they’ll lay prostrate on the ground and closer to the wrath of bugs and stray gumboots.
This year we set up a very simple support made out of bamboo stakes in a criss-cross tied in a V shape with a horizontal length secured to the V (somewhat like a primitive tent structure). We’re not so bothered how it looks, rather it has great results. Once the broad beans successfully reached this 70cm height (which is very achievable) we then loosely tied them to the horizontal bar with garden twine. Easy peezy, lemon squeezy. Broad beans remain upright, no need for anything more elaborate than that.
I’m delighted to report that this year, we’ve haven’t experienced any aphid trouble but I have my sneaky Homemade Organic Anti-Aphid recipe at hand should I spy any willing to cross my path.
I love broad beans. I can honestly say that I have never seen them available in the supermarket (unless in the frozen food section). If you do get a chance to plant them, do. They are hardy, delicious fresh and can be frozen for other day.
