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Sowing broad beans
So frustrated by the deluge, I've been reduced to sowing my third set of
Broad Beans ("Aquadulce Claudia") in pots inside today. But I have a nagging doubt. Most seeds are tiny little things and they have to make the best of however they land, but broad beans have a great big "This Way Up" sign in the shape of their 'scar'. But which way up is it? Scar up for the leaves to grow? Down for the roots? Sideways, thin side up, down? Horizontally? Do the roots and shoots even grow from the scar? Does it even matter? It's a bit late now of course, but I'd still like to know... Second question - the packet says to sow November to January, which is exactly what I've done so far, and my first sowings have come up and are looking very happy. So what will happen if I continue to sow successionally through the spring? I was given a 1/2kg bag from a farmer friend, for which I am very grateful, but it means I've got masses left even after giving lots away... Peter |
Sowing broad beans
"Peter Robinson" wrote in message ... So frustrated by the deluge, I've been reduced to sowing my third set of Broad Beans ("Aquadulce Claudia") in pots inside today. But I have a nagging doubt. Most seeds are tiny little things and they have to make the best of however they land, but broad beans have a great big "This Way Up" sign in the shape of their 'scar'. But which way up is it? Scar up for the leaves to grow? Down for the roots? Sideways, thin side up, down? Horizontally? Do the roots and shoots even grow from the scar? Does it even matter? It's a bit late now of course, but I'd still like to know... Second question - the packet says to sow November to January, which is exactly what I've done so far, and my first sowings have come up and are looking very happy. So what will happen if I continue to sow successionally through the spring? I was given a 1/2kg bag from a farmer friend, for which I am very grateful, but it means I've got masses left even after giving lots away... Peter Push them in the ground and they will come up, there is no right way up... imagine if the fell, they would still come up. My second lot are just popping through on the allotment. I use different varieties as I go along but whatever you put in will germinate. The Aquadulce are supposed to be extra tough though and are usually the ones put in early. If you sow too late they are more likely to get blackfly but these can usually be squashed as you walk along the row. -- Rowdens Reservoir Allotments Best Allotment Site in Plymouth Plymouth In Bloom Gold Award 2007 www.rraa.moonfruit.com |
Sowing broad beans
Peter Robinson writes
So frustrated by the deluge, I've been reduced to sowing my third set of Broad Beans ("Aquadulce Claudia") in pots inside today. But I have a nagging doubt. Most seeds are tiny little things and they have to make the best of however they land, but broad beans have a great big "This Way Up" sign in the shape of their 'scar'. But which way up is it? Scar up for the leaves to grow? Down for the roots? Sideways, thin side up, down? Horizontally? Do the roots and shoots even grow from the scar? Does it even matter? No :-) Second question - the packet says to sow November to January, which is exactly what I've done so far, and my first sowings have come up and are looking very happy. So what will happen if I continue to sow successionally through the spring? I was given a 1/2kg bag from a farmer friend, for which I am very grateful, but it means I've got masses left even after giving lots away... They'll just be later all the way through. If you have masses, there's nothing to lose by continuing to sow, and you'll be less tempted to leave them on the plant too long to increase size - they're much nicer if they're not left too long. -- Kay |
Sowing broad beans
K wrote:
Peter Robinson writes So frustrated by the deluge, I've been reduced to sowing my third set of Broad Beans ("Aquadulce Claudia") in pots inside today. But I have a nagging doubt. Most seeds are tiny little things and they have to make the best of however they land, but broad beans have a great big "This Way Up" sign in the shape of their 'scar'. But which way up is it? Scar up for the leaves to grow? Down for the roots? Sideways, thin side up, down? Horizontally? Do the roots and shoots even grow from the scar? Does it even matter? No :-) Second question - the packet says to sow November to January, which is exactly what I've done so far, and my first sowings have come up and are looking very happy. So what will happen if I continue to sow successionally through the spring? I was given a 1/2kg bag from a farmer friend, for which I am very grateful, but it means I've got masses left even after giving lots away... They'll just be later all the way through. If you have masses, there's nothing to lose by continuing to sow, and you'll be less tempted to leave them on the plant too long to increase size - they're much nicer if they're not left too long. We favour them when they can be eaten pods and all, roll on! |
Sowing broad beans
Second question - the packet says to sow November to January, which is exactly what I've done so far, and my first sowings have come up and are looking very happy. So what will happen if I continue to sow successionally through the spring? I was given a 1/2kg bag from a farmer friend, for which I am very grateful, but it means I've got masses left even after giving lots away... Peter I planted a row of Broad beans about 6/7 weeks ago, they all came along fine but the frost has given them a bit of a bashing. They grew to about 9/12 inches but are all now laying flat. Will they pick up or are they finished ?? Wally |
Sowing broad beans
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Sowing broad beans
On 20 Jan, 08:58, "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
remove my other hobby to reply wrote: Push them in the ground and they will come up, there is no right way up... I don't know since when I do that and why I've started, but all 'flat' seeds I sow them on their side thinking that they won't rot as much as if they were lying flat. I do this with pumpkins too. But I'm sure it doesn't make any difference ;o) |
Sowing broad beans
On Jan 20, 11:09*am, K wrote:
Peter Robinson writes So frustrated by the deluge, I've been reduced to sowing my third set of Broad Beans ("Aquadulce Claudia") in pots inside today. *But I have a nagging doubt. *Most seeds are tiny little things and they have to make the best of however they land, but broad beans have a great big "This Way Up" sign in the shape of their 'scar'. But which way up is it? *Scar up for the leaves to grow? *Down for the roots? *Sideways, thin side up, down? *Horizontally? *Do the roots and shoots even grow from the scar? *Does it even matter? No :-) Second question - the packet says to sow November to January, which is exactly what I've done so far, and my first sowings have come up and are looking very happy. *So what will happen if I continue to sow successionally through the spring? *I was given a 1/2kg bag from a farmer friend, for which I am very grateful, but it means I've got masses left even after giving lots away... They'll just be later all the way through. If you have masses, there's nothing to lose by continuing to sow, and you'll be less tempted to leave them on the plant too long to increase size - they're much nicer if they're not left too long. -- Kay Hi Kay, it's many years since I have seen your garden in Leeds I expect it has changed. Which part of it do you plant the veg in, at the narrow bottom end or higher up as I don't think you had veggies when I stayed with you? Judith |
Sowing broad beans
On 20 Jan, 17:10, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
It's not so much the position of the beans, as the ... er .... http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=002...66%3A262%3C333... Won't catch me in this way when sowing my broad beans in North West England! But peas ... I might think again, the weather is often quite fine ;o) |
Sowing broad beans
"Robert \(Plymouth\)" remove my
other hobby to reply wrote: "Peter Robinson" wrote in message ... [...] But which way up is it? Scar up for the leaves to grow? Push them in the ground and they will come up, there is no right way up... imagine if the fell, they would still come up. Some of the time - I don't want great big holes in my nice neat rows :-) I think I'd read somewhere that if you sow them on their side they're more likely to rot because water might pool on top. But that does sound a bit far fetched. If you sow too late they are more likely to get blackfly but these can usually be squashed as you walk along the row. If that's all it is, that doesn't sound too bad. I know one of the reasons for sowing in autumn is to get ahead of the pests. Last year my fingers and the ladybirds just about managed to keep the blackfly on my runner beans under control. (Didn't grow broad beans though, so we will have more work this year...) Thanks for the advice from one and all. Peter |
Sowing broad beans
Pam Moore wrote:
I sow mine in pots, on end, scar up, so the root and shoot can go the way they want to, but whichever way you sow them, they will go the right way. One of the reasons I asked was from what happened to some of my runner beans last year. I sowed them individually in pots, and most of them germinated really quickly and came up just as you'd expect. But a couple took a while longer, and when they came up, they looked freakishly twisted, with some thick white shoots that looked like roots right near the surface - as if the roots and leaves had got twisted together before they're worked out which way was up! I was tempted to turn them out just to see what was going on down there, but I relented. I lost track of where they went when I planted them out, but I imagine they grew fine like all the others eventually, but it did make me wonder. Peter |
Sowing broad beans
K wrote:
But which way up is it? Scar up for the leaves to grow? Down for the roots? Sideways, thin side up, down? Horizontally? Do the roots and shoots even grow from the scar? Does it even matter? No :-) Thanks Kay, that's good news :-) Second question - the packet says to sow November to January, [...] So what will happen if I continue to sow successionally through the spring? They'll just be later all the way through. That's what I was hoping - I'm trying to avoid the inevitable glut. I thought it strange the packet didn't say something like Nov - Apr, but I suppose that's because it's a variety you normally buy specifically for early sowing. If you have masses, there's nothing to lose by continuing to sow, and you'll be less tempted to leave them on the plant too long to increase size - they're much nicer if they're not left too long. Yes - I've read you can even eat them pod and all like french/runner beans if you pick them really young. Peter |
Sowing broad beans
On 20 Jan, 19:07, (Peter Robinson) wrote:
Yes - I've read you can even eat them pod and all like french/runner beans if you pick them really young. I can't sow them here now, far too wet, autumn is the same and they get damaged by wind, rain, gales whatever the elements throw at us. In pots I find they start too quick, too lanky and they look fragile once back in the ground. I suppose it's something again to do with the rain we have all-the-time and every year. I use a dwarf variety Aquadulcy and Wilkiem. Very strong little plant whatever the weather with sweet beans. We eat ours raw though - always. French bread, butter, salt, dunk the bean in the salt and crunch :o) |
Sowing broad beans
wrote:
We eat ours raw though - always. French bread, butter, salt, dunk the bean in the salt and crunch :o) Sounds good! They're safe to eat raw then? Good to know. Peter |
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