Broad and ruuner beans
 

Good afternoon,

A couple of questions that hopefully someone can quickly answer - as always
a quick trawl of the 'net has produced a dozen different answers!

I've been growing broad beans for a couple of years now and this years crop
has started to flower, but is very stunted; the tallest plant being only
about 2 1/2 foot. Every other year they have started to flower at about 4
foot, at which point I've 'pinched' the tops off; the plants have then
continued to grow to about 5 foot and produced lots of beans.

I assume that they are stunted this year due to lack off sunshine and the
cold weather, as I've never grown them in the same spot twice and the area
that they are in this year was well fertilize last autumn.

If this is the case should I pinch the tops off to create 'dwarf broad
beans', or will they shoot up if we get some warmer weather?


Runner beans - should these be fed with anything i.e.: tomato feed etc and
if so when i.e.: when they start flowering?

Many thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Andrew

"ajr" wrote in message
...
: Good afternoon,
:
: A couple of questions that hopefully someone can quickly answer - as
always
: a quick trawl of the 'net has produced a dozen different answers!
:
: I've been growing broad beans for a couple of years now and this years
crop
: has started to flower, but is very stunted; the tallest plant being only
: about 2 1/2 foot. Every other year they have started to flower at about 4
: foot, at which point I've 'pinched' the tops off; the plants have then
: continued to grow to about 5 foot and produced lots of beans.
:
: I assume that they are stunted this year due to lack off sunshine and the
: cold weather, as I've never grown them in the same spot twice and the area
: that they are in this year was well fertilize last autumn.
:
: If this is the case should I pinch the tops off to create 'dwarf broad
: beans', or will they shoot up if we get some warmer weather?
:
:
: Runner beans - should these be fed with anything i.e.: tomato feed etc
and
: if so when i.e.: when they start flowering?
:
: Many thanks in advance.
:
: Cheers,
:
: Andrew
:
I don't pinch the top off just because they're flowering , I let them go for
a while until they're a decent height or the blackfly starts. The runner
beans trench should be prepared for feeding beforehand with compost or
manure and a sprinkling of blood fish and bone or chicken pellets. There
should be no need to feed after that.... just add water as much as possible
in less wet days

Regarding runner beans, I grow them in a very rich soil with no further
feeding.
Hope this link is of some help to you.

http://www.geocities.com/rogerscyberhome/bean.html

Pick your broad beans while young and cook with bacon... slurp! :0)
Rog

"ajr" wrote in message
...
Good afternoon,

A couple of questions that hopefully someone can quickly answer - as
always
a quick trawl of the 'net has produced a dozen different answers!

I've been growing broad beans for a couple of years now and this years
crop
has started to flower, but is very stunted; the tallest plant being only
about 2 1/2 foot. Every other year they have started to flower at about 4
foot, at which point I've 'pinched' the tops off; the plants have then
continued to grow to about 5 foot and produced lots of beans.

I assume that they are stunted this year due to lack off sunshine and the
cold weather, as I've never grown them in the same spot twice and the area
that they are in this year was well fertilize last autumn.

If this is the case should I pinch the tops off to create 'dwarf broad
beans', or will they shoot up if we get some warmer weather?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your broad beans are probably a dwarf variety. IMO these are equal or
better than the taller vars. They crop earlier, more heavily and are not so
subject to black fly.
I wouldonly pinch out their tops if they have produced a single stem.
For an early treat try cooking whole pods, when very small, and
dipping in a hollandaise type sauce.
Best Wishes Brian.


Runner beans - should these be fed with anything i.e.: tomato feed etc
and
if so when i.e.: when they start flowering?

Many thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Andrew

In article ,
(ajr) wrote:

I've been growing broad beans for a couple of years now and this
years crop has started to flower, but is very stunted; the tallest
plant being only about 2 1/2 foot.

Did you sow the seed later this year? Are you using the same variety?

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

In article , (Steve Harris) writes:
| In article ,
| (ajr) wrote:
|
| I've been growing broad beans for a couple of years now and this
| years crop has started to flower, but is very stunted; the tallest
| plant being only about 2 1/2 foot.
|
| Did you sow the seed later this year? Are you using the same variety?

That height is pretty normal for broad beans. It has been a very
cold spring.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article , (Nick
Maclaren) wrote:

plant being only about 2 1/2 foot.
|
| Did you sow the seed later this year? Are you using the same
variety?

That height is pretty normal for broad beans.

All mine are between 3 and 4 foot. The OP is used to that and more.
There may be something wrong.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

In article ,
Steve Harris wrote:
In article , (Nick
Maclaren) wrote:

plant being only about 2 1/2 foot.
|
| Did you sow the seed later this year? Are you using the same
variety?

That height is pretty normal for broad beans.

All mine are between 3 and 4 foot. The OP is used to that and more.
There may be something wrong.

Try the weather. It has been bloody cold, and even the weeds haven't
grown much in my garden.

2'6" is a perfectly normal height for broad beans. 3'6" is, too.
It all depends - on the variety, soil and weather.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
That height is pretty normal for broad beans. It has been a very
cold spring.

Yes, ours are a bit shorter than that, but already well in flower and
first signs of pods showing. Never mind the height, just feel the beans!

BTW - there are some dwarf varieties of broad beans around now.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.