Also my broad beans plants have produced lovely bean pods near the
bottom of the stems but the ones further up are tiny and have withered
with black on them. I had this problem last year too.

I have the same problem with my broad beans. The lowest row of flowers set
seed and we have beans filling out nicely. The second row have hardly any
beans on, and above that the little shivelled pods as described.
There is not a blackfy on the entire row, and I have no idea what I could
have done to encourage better polination. I assume that was what caused the
problem.

Any advice for next year, please?


Alan