I think it was a Consumer Association test I saw which compared Spring and
Autumn sown broad beans. They found that the autumn sown cropped only
marginally earlier and concluded it was not worth it.
In the autumn I throw manure over my veg beds and then roll black plastic
over them. This protects the soil structure from the winter rains and gives
me a cleaner, warmer bed in the Spring to sow into - thus catching up on any
advantage that autumn sowing may have offered.

Davy

"Wally" wrote in message
...
I noticed that some other allotment holders had
broad beans early this year, when I asked was told
that they was planted in the autumn and overwintered,
so I planted some myself this autumn.

Went to check how things was progressing and found
that the frost has knocked them flat.

Should I have done something to protect them and will
they pick up ??

There are no other gardeners about to ask this weather.

Wally