Broad Beans

A gardeners’ favourite. Broad been ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ is the best broad bean for autumn sowing, overwintering plants on the plot outside, for an early harvest the following spring. Slender pods of 23cm (9″) long, are full of succulent white seeded flavoursome beans. Height: 100cm (39″). Spread: 45cm (18″).

How to sow: Direct sow broad bean seed under cloches in February, or without protection from March to April. For particularly early crops some varieties of broad beans may also be sown outdoors under cloches from early autumn to late winter.

Grow beans in full sun on rich fertile, well-manured soil with protection from strong winds. Plant broad beans in double rows set 23cm (9″) apart and allowing at least 60cm (24″) between each double row. Sow broad beans at a depth of 5cm (2″) deep and a distance of 23cm (9″) apart within each row and water well. Germination usually takes around 10 days.

Companion planting: Try growing broad beans with summer savory to help repel black bean aphids, a common pest of broad beans.

Flowering Period: May, June, July

Sowing Months: January, February, September, October, November, December

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