On 30 Jan, 11:04, "Des Higgins" wrote:
Someone (Robert) said recently that you could sow broad beans now?
Can you really do that right now? Outdoors? In cold soil? Or start them
in greenhouse?

A bit early for me (Lancashire) but would concider it in mid/end
February indeed. I have never grown my broad beans in greenhouse
because I would find them 'forced' and they wouldn't like being
transplanted. I've grown them for years to great success straight
sowed in ground end Feb - or once the ground is warm (and not in the
autumn when you could also sow them but I find that they rot here as
it's very wet - I've forgotten where you are). You could cover the
area where you want to sow to warm up the soil. I do this for my peas
if we're having lots of constant ground frost.

ps. Just returned from home (Bordeaux). All our mimosas, albizias etc.
covered in snow. We've lost lots of branches too heavy under the
weight of the frozen snow. There's a snowman/woman in every front
garden, frightening sight when you think the snow fell last tuesday!
Yesterday was -3C in the middle of the day. I was frozen! This is the
second time in my life time I've seen my home town like this. We all
blame El Nino ...