"Andy Spragg" wrote in message
...
Just finished a few hours of graft over the weekend, preparing the
ground for, and planting, a row of broad beans. Never tried autumn
sowing before, but I gather autumn-sown plants are generally hardier
and believed to be more blackfly-tolerant. Anyway, what's worrying me
is this: given how relatively mild the weather still is, is it
possible that they might germinate this side of winter? And if so,
will they be killed off by the inevitable frosts? Or are they actually
meant to germinate in the autumn and then lie semi-dormant?

Similar reservations about my autumn-sown onions - another new
departure for me. This time last year, I sowed garlic, and it did very
well - it germinated soon after planting, and survived the winter
unscathed. But what are onions supposed to do?

Andy
--
The onions should be OK hopefully anyway, at least I've put half of mine in
and the rest will follow by this weekend other things permitting. I'm told
that technically, onions are perennials, anyone else like to comment on
this?

As for the broad beans, it depends what variety you plant. Some are hardy,
some are not. Aquadulce is possibly the best known of the hardies, but You
may be a bit early with them. As I've mentioned in this NG before, old Bill
at the allotments has a saying "bonfire night is beans night", meaning not
to plant before 5th Nov, as then they get away too quickly, and when the
frost comes, the've had it. Given the summer we've had, and the continuing
mild weather, (at least here in Dorset), It might be advisable to wait till
the middle of Nov and put another row in just in case.

HTH

Steve