These beans are broad . (Broad Beans)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Broad Beans
Date:	25/02/09 (140 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: tasty, good for you

Disadvantages: none

have just planted my broad beans in the garden. They are the variety Sutton. This variety is a dwarf bean.
Sow the beans in little pots at the end of feb/ beginning of March and put them in the green house to give them a good start. You casn sow them straight intomthe garden if you prefere .It is possible to sow these in October for earlier cropping too .


I like to get my broad beans started in pots it helps them get started with out the slugs/snails damaging them. (Living on chalky soil and growing organically I do get a lot of snails)

When my plants are about 3 inches high with several leaves on. I shall transfer them to the garden .
They like well-dug, manured fertile, well-drained soil that is low in nitrogen, their root nodules fix atmospheric nitrogen, and so they are a good plant if your soil is low in nitrogen
The seed need to be planted about 4cm/11/2 inches deep about 8/9 inches20/23cm apart,

Sow them in a double row or in a block. The tall varieties need to be supported with canes. I support my dwarf varieties too as the get knocked by the wind.
I water mine regularly

Once they start to flower pinch the growing tips out this helps reduce blackly and encourages pods to form. You should be able to start harvesting spring grown 12-16 weeks after seeding.

Other pests are mice they love to dig your beans up and eat them

Broad beans have a lovely flower visited by many a bee. These flowers develop into a pod, which contains the beans. The pod in itself is enchanting. Ever heard the harvest hymn that says broad beans are sleeping in their blankety bed? The pods have an inner lining of a soft white fur like a blanket.

Pick the pods while plump but do not leave too long or the beans are not too nice. Can't remember roughly how many bean in a pod but I reckon 5-8.

I think these are a good veg to grow with children, as they are quite quick to grow and develop.

If you grow these in a clear glass jar trapped against the inside with tissue they soon develop roots, a great beginning science lesson about growing and that plants need water try growing two one with one without water. Which one grows? Why/. (Sorry that's the teacher in me (well assistant anyway))
It is so good also to show children beans/peas do not just come from a jar or a pkt from Tesco's That they grow.

Broad beans are tasty to eat apparently the very young small pods can be eaten pod and bean when they are only 2-3 inches, /5-7 1/2 cms
Pod your larger beans and cook in boiling water for about 10 mins Old large beans can be cooked but best used in a soup. Broad beans are served traditionally with a parsley sauce. They are great served with Ham and bacon

I have just checked something on the internet and it suggests broad beans are good for you in preventing or reversing bowel cancer!
There is an article in the British medical journal "gut" that states that the lectin a protein found in broad beans can prevent or even reverse Bowel cancer. So I shall certainly try to eat more now .

Thanks for reading now be good children and eat your beans

Summary: A white flat bean