Yesterday, I noticed my first broad bean (fava in USian?) of the season
popping it's head up. Must plant the next lot in a few days. I love new,
tiny broad beans.

Farm1 wrote:
Yesterday, I noticed my first broad bean (fava in USian?) of the
season popping it's head up. Must plant the next lot in a few days. I
love new, tiny broad beans.

Afte several years I have given up on them as they are just too much work
for the result. Yes they are very nice when young and fresh. But you have
to grow a lot of plants to get a few beans and then there is much shelling
and peeling. After harvesting I could fill a compost bay with the plants
and shells for a couple of kilos of edibles. Of course if you get a strong
wind (I mean blowing over the garden not after you eat them) the buggers
blow down and turn in circles.

D

Farm1 wrote:

Yesterday, I noticed my first broad bean (fava in USian?) of the season
popping it's head up. Must plant the next lot in a few days. I love new,
tiny broad beans.



i'm addicted to beans of any type it seems, but
i haven't tried growing fava beans here yet.

what do you like about them?


songbird

David Hare-Scott wrote:
....
Afte several years I have given up on them as they are just too much work
for the result. Yes they are very nice when young and fresh. But you have
to grow a lot of plants to get a few beans and then there is much shelling
and peeling. After harvesting I could fill a compost bay with the plants
and shells for a couple of kilos of edibles. Of course if you get a strong
wind (I mean blowing over the garden not after you eat them) the buggers
blow down and turn in circles.

are they vines/climbers?


songbird

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Farm1 wrote:
Yesterday, I noticed my first broad bean (fava in USian?) of the
season popping it's head up. Must plant the next lot in a few days. I
love new, tiny broad beans.

Afte several years I have given up on them as they are just too much work
for the result. Yes they are very nice when young and fresh. But you
have to grow a lot of plants to get a few beans and then there is much
shelling and peeling.

Yebbut they are actually well worth eating unlike the BBs one' can buy.

Himself used to hate all sorts of beans including BBs. He's one of those
very strong willed people so I've not bothered to grow them or serve then
but after aobut 35 years, I'd decided that enough was enough and I liked
them so I would grow them because at least I would eat them. The tiny ones
were so gorgeous that even he decided he liked them and has even now eaten
home grown green beans.

For me, I tend to only grow things that are so much better than the bought
that it's worth my time and effort. and we do have some good places within
an hours drive where I can get good veg but I still put BBs firmly into the
better grown category.

After harvesting I could fill a compost bay with the plants
and shells for a couple of kilos of edibles.

Chooks love the haulms.

Of course if you get a strong
wind (I mean blowing over the garden not after you eat them) the buggers
blow down and turn in circles.

:-)) I thought that is why one was supposed to put stakes at about 2 ft
intervals and tie some baling twine in squares so they got some support.

Farm1 wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Farm1 wrote:
Yesterday, I noticed my first broad bean (fava in USian?) of the
season popping it's head up. Must plant the next lot in a few
days. I love new, tiny broad beans.

Afte several years I have given up on them as they are just too much
work for the result. Yes they are very nice when young and fresh. But
you have to grow a lot of plants to get a few beans and then
there is much shelling and peeling.

Yebbut they are actually well worth eating unlike the BBs one' can
buy.
Himself used to hate all sorts of beans including BBs. He's one of
those very strong willed people so I've not bothered to grow them or
serve then but after aobut 35 years, I'd decided that enough was
enough and I liked them so I would grow them because at least I would
eat them. The tiny ones were so gorgeous that even he decided he
liked them and has even now eaten home grown green beans.

For me, I tend to only grow things that are so much better than the
bought that it's worth my time and effort. and we do have some good
places within an hours drive where I can get good veg but I still put
BBs firmly into the better grown category.

So many things are so much better when fresh but We are not so keen on them
to go to the trouble. Asparagus on the other hand.....


After harvesting I could fill a compost bay with the plants
and shells for a couple of kilos of edibles.

Chooks love the haulms.

Loverly word.


Of course if you get a strong
wind (I mean blowing over the garden not after you eat them) the
buggers blow down and turn in circles.

:-)) I thought that is why one was supposed to put stakes at about 2
ft intervals and tie some baling twine in squares so they got some
support.

I have tried that with modest success. Perhaps if the windbreak round the
vege garden gets more effective I will try again.

D

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Farm1 wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Farm1 wrote:
Yesterday, I noticed my first broad bean (fava in USian?) of the
season popping it's head up. Must plant the next lot in a few
days. I love new, tiny broad beans.

Afte several years I have given up on them as they are just too much
work for the result. Yes they are very nice when young and fresh. But
you have to grow a lot of plants to get a few beans and then
there is much shelling and peeling.

Yebbut they are actually well worth eating unlike the BBs one' can
buy.
Himself used to hate all sorts of beans including BBs. He's one of
those very strong willed people so I've not bothered to grow them or
serve then but after aobut 35 years, I'd decided that enough was
enough and I liked them so I would grow them because at least I would
eat them. The tiny ones were so gorgeous that even he decided he
liked them and has even now eaten home grown green beans.

For me, I tend to only grow things that are so much better than the
bought that it's worth my time and effort. and we do have some good
places within an hours drive where I can get good veg but I still put
BBs firmly into the better grown category.

So many things are so much better when fresh but We are not so keen on
them to go to the trouble. Asparagus on the other hand.....

Oooh slobber - not too long to wait now till they start putting their wee
heads up.....


After harvesting I could fill a compost bay with the plants
and shells for a couple of kilos of edibles.

Chooks love the haulms.

Loverly word.


Of course if you get a strong
wind (I mean blowing over the garden not after you eat them) the
buggers blow down and turn in circles.

:-)) I thought that is why one was supposed to put stakes at about 2
ft intervals and tie some baling twine in squares so they got some
support.

I have tried that with modest success. Perhaps if the windbreak round the
vege garden gets more effective I will try again.

We put a whole lot of wattles on the windward side behind a fence of 6 ft
high shade cloth and it's gorgeous in the patch now even when it's blowing a
gale. The wattles grew like stink and I'm now asking him to top them but
he's nto keen on doig that.

songbird wrote:
David Hare-Scott wrote:
...
Afte several years I have given up on them as they are just too much
work for the result. Yes they are very nice when young and fresh.
But you have to grow a lot of plants to get a few beans and then
there is much shelling and peeling. After harvesting I could fill a
compost bay with the plants and shells for a couple of kilos of
edibles. Of course if you get a strong wind (I mean blowing over
the garden not after you eat them) the buggers blow down and turn in
circles.

are they vines/climbers?




No. They have weak stems and grow tall with lots of folliage and pods to
make them top heavy.

D

songbird said:

i'm addicted to beans of any type it seems, but
i haven't tried growing fava beans here yet.

I've tried growing them in the past, but the window of opportunity
between 'soil workable' and hotter weather than they like is a problem
(worse than ever, these last few years).

They are very prone to attracting an explosion of big, black aphids, too.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

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