Broad Beans
Broad beans are easy to grow being hardy so can be sown in autumn as well as in spring. They do not seem to suffer from any real adversaries if certain steps are taken to discourage pests before they become a problem. One advantage is that they will grow in any soil whether light or heavy.
Soil Preparation
Autumn sown seeds should go into well - manured beds from the previous crop. Alternatively two or three weeks before the crop is sown, work into the soil plenty of well -rotted manure and compost. At the time of sowing lightly fork a fish manure with 10 per cent potash contend into the ground at 3 oz. (90g) to the sq. yd. There is a variety of named broad bean seeds to choose from, including some excellent dwarf ones, some with dark coloured pods that look particularly attractive.
Sowing
If it's an early crop that you want, then sow long -pods can be sown in boxes in John Innes seed compost in a greenhouse or cold frame about the middle of December or early January, where they should remain until at least the end of March when they can be planted out in the beds. For most of us the first sowing will be out -doors in April, then a second sowing for late crops about the beginning of May.
After the soil has been raked level and fish manure has been scattered on the surface, a hoe can be used to draw out 3 in. (76mm) deep drills. Space out the seeds to about 8 in. (203mm) apart then make another drill roughly about 8 in. away, making another row keeping the same distance between the seeds. This is known as a double row method. The next set of double rows should be positioned about 2 ½ ft. (75cm) away. The distance between dwarf seeds should be a little less, 6 in. (15cm) apart and 6 in (15cm) between the rows for the doubles with a distance of 2 ft.(60cm) to the next double rows. It is always a good idea to sow a few extra seeds at the end of each row so that should there be any gaps, these may be used to fill in the spaces.
General Care
Keep down weeds between the rows with the aid of a Dutch hoe, a most useful implement for getting between the plants easily. To discourage pests such as black fly, which can become a serious problem, pinch out the top inch of the growing tip of each plant as soon as the first flowers appear. The tip of the plant is tender and succulent and will attract these aphids in there thousands. However there is another advantage to "stopping" the plants as it encourages the
production of earlier beans. This "pinching" method has always worked well for me and as I would never use chemicals to deter insects, I am keen to keep a close eye on the beans to ensure that I spot the first sign of the coming flowers.
Harvesting
Pick the pods whilst the beans inside are still young and tender, though they need to be of a reasonable size to make them a worthwhile crop. The ideal size is about the size of a pound coin, which will be a good reminder of all the money you will be saving when growing your own sweet delicious beans.
French Beans
These are more tender than the Runner beans, which are slightly course in texture. I personally prefer them to runners: Successional sowings will provide French beans throughout much of the year. There are several varieties including dwarf and some of the newer ones have unusually coloured pods.
Soil Preparation
French beans prefer a light soil; therefore if your soil is heavy loosen it up by forking in plenty of organic matter. Dig the ground to a spade's depth during the previous autumn adding well -rotted manure at the rate of a bucket to the sq. yd. Leave the ground rough, especially if it is heavy, frost and cold winds will ensure that it is friable for a light forking in spring. When you are ready to sow add fish manure with 6 per cent potash content at 3 oz. (90g) to the sq. yd.
and unless the soil is chalky, give a surface dressing of carbonate of lime at 5 oz. (150g) to the sq. yd.
Sowing
Sow when the ground has warmed up; this is generally around the end of April but can be as late as mid May in the north. Wait until there is a dry period as damp conditions are the vegetable's greatest enemy. To give straight lines to your rows use a piece of string attached to two pegs, if the string is pulled taut it will give a good guide for the drills. The drills should be 2 in. (50mm) deep with the seeds sown 6 in. (15cm) apart, use the back of a rake to lightly cover the beans completely and firm down. The drills can be either double narrow rows or a wider drill can be dug, about 4 ft. (120cm) wide, the beans placed in this 6 in. (15cm) apart but each bean is placed in a zigzag fashion the first at one side of the drill the next at the other. Sow a few extra beans at the end of each row, when the seedlings are about 2 in. (50mm) high they can be transplanted to
fill up gaps within the rows. To have a continuous cropping of beans sow seeds at two to three weekly intervals until the end of July. I like to try out different varieties in this way, it gives me the chance to compare the cropping statistics, flavour and it adds interest and excitement to the harvest.
General Care
In windy situations it might be necessary to aid the beans to stand upright, all this entails is a few busy twigs which are generally termed pea sticks, pushed into the ground to give support so that the plants do not trail on the ground. Alternatively, stout canes can be placed at each end of the row and two or three rows of string tied between them. This is done on each side of the row, the string will support the beans and stop them falling over. Keep the ground free from weeds; these will take nutrients out of the land, which should otherwise be used to feeding the crop. Put down a few slug traps around the base of plants, beer in a shallow container is popular though an upturned grapefruit skin works quite well too.
Harvesting
Pick the crop when it is young and tender. Do not allow the pods to produce seed, as this will discourage the plant from cropping again. Beans seem to keep their flavour better if they are picked no more than an hour before they are cooked. Nor should they be over -cooked, they should still have retained a little crunchiness to be enjoyed at there best.
There are several excellent varieties, including many new and exciting ones; some string -less and some climbers. Check out what is on offer, growing these beans will more than repay the time and effort you may put into it.
Runner Beans
Runner beans are a popular crop not only for their fruits but the flowers, which come before and are truly attractive and add colour to the garden. However the beans are much coarser and have a stronger flavour than the French beans and therefore not as well liked I think as the French bean.
Soil Preparation
Runner beans are deep rooted so it is advisable to dig the land more than a spade's depth in order to make sure that the manure or compost is available to the roots. The manure should be added at a rate of a bucketful to every sq. yd. A popular method of digging the plot is to double dig to make sure that the fertilizer has reached the necessary depth, and then tread down firmly. After which fish manure with 10 per cent potash content at 4 oz. (120g) to the sq. yd. should be raked in. Carbonate of lime can be applied as a surface dressing at 4 oz. (120g) to the sq. yd. unless the soil is chalky of course.
Sowing
At sowing time, which should not be before the end of May in the north, though in the south it can be a couple of weeks earlier, rake in 2 oz. (60g) superphospate and 1 oz. (30g) sulphate of potash to the sq. yd. Runner bean seeds do not germinate in cold soil, so it is pointless sowing before the end of May in the north. However I have been reliably informed that in places such as Cornwall they can sow as early as April. Other locations might like to try putting coverings such as cloches over the soil during February to help warm up the ground in preparation. It is always good practise to space out the sowing so that there is a continuous supply rather than all the vegetables being ready at once. To make sure of a later picking make a second sowing in mid June.
Generally runner beans are grown to climb up netting or poles and remember they grow to over 6 ft so their climbing frame needs to be sturdy, each plant should produce a crop of approximately 4 lb of beans so it needs to have strength and stability. If the beans are to climb poles, push the poles or stout canes into the ground at least 9 in. (228mm) apart so that when they are drawn together they cross 6 in. from the top. Tie them together where they cross with horticulture twine making a kind of Tepee effect. Sow the seeds at the base of the poles where they can be encouraged to climb up naturally. The seeds should be sown at a depth of 2 in. (50mm) and is preferably done with the aid of a dibber, making a hole to the desired depth and dropping a seed into it. It is also a good move to sow a few seeds at the outer circle so that any gaps can be filled in with the extra plants. Beans grown in this way look splendid growing in a flowerbed. Not only will the flowers give colour to the border, for they are not only extremely colourful they are also beautiful, rivalling many plants that are grown purely for their flowers alone. Climbing as they do they will also give height and structure to the border and later
there will be the added reward of the beans.
Methods of Growing
Runner beans unlike many other crops may be grown on the same plot of land year after year. They can be grown along wires between stout posts and to help them reach the wires vertical wires should be strung at 4 or 5 in. (101mm - 127mm) intervals, these will assist their climb. If netting is the preferred method is to be used then it is simply a matter of stretching the net between two posts until it is reasonably taut, the beans will be then able to scramble up unaided.
General care The beans do require plenty of water and it is a good idea to mulch the roots to help to retain moisture. Popular mulch for this purpose is grass cuttings scattered not more than 1/2 in. (12mm) around the base of the plants when they are in full growth, more may heat up the ground too much and burn the roots or damage the stems. In times of drought the beans will require to be given water administered by a sprinkler system but make sure that the roots are
thoroughly soaked.
Pests
Slugs do like to feed on this crop and can become rather a nuisance especially just as the young shoots are beginning to grow. If you don't like using pellets which although are quite successful in lowering the numbers of the invading slugs, can kill other creatures such as hedgehogs should they eat the poisoned slugs.
Hedgehogs are as we all know the gardeners friend as to destroy them in this way is really unforgivable. Other slug killers such as beer traps are preferable I think,
should the hedgehogs take a sip, then the most they are likely to suffer would be a headache from the hangover.
Harvesting
Pick the beans as soon as they are ready, this is before the seeds inside the pods begin to swell. Always a good thing to remember is that the more beans that are picked the greater the yield will be.
source: mrsgreenfingers.co.uk
Gardening, growing and caring for plants as an enjoyable leisure activity, to produce food, or to create beautiful landscapes with artfully arranged flowers, shrubs, and trees. For some, gardening is a form of exercise, a way to save money on food, or a way to ensure that fruits and vegetables are free from pesticides or other chemicals. For others, gardening is a profession: landscape gardeners design, install, and maintain gardens for a living (see Landscape Architecture). Unlike farmers, who typically produces large quantities of crops using complex equipment, such as tractors and combines, gardeners usually produce plants in smaller quantities, relying on manual tools, such as spades, rakes, and hoes, and small power tools, such as mowers and tillers.
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