Last year I showed a photo of a rather nice but empty raised bed that allegedly had broad beans sown in it. Today I update the world on the progress of my broad beans!
These were sown in October last year, in a raised bed that had played host to our failed tomato crop, plus the rather better sweet peppers and hugely successful aubergines. I added a bit of compost, but the thinking behind sowing the beans in this bed was that their roots would put back some much needed nitrogen into the soil. The seed was second generation saved Aquadulce Claudia - ideal for over-wintering.
Most of the beans were up by early December, but we lost a couple of plants during the very cold snaps we had in December and January (overnight temperatures of about -10 degrees). However as I sowed 2 beans per station, it seems the gaps have been filled and the double rows look very full and healthy, though no sign of flowers yet. I mention that, as I was checking my diary for this time last year, and this month has not been as exceptional as I thought. Last year we had temperatures up around 16 degrees in February and the apricot is out at about the same time, so the bean flowers are a bit later than last year.
The beans are still covered to protect them from the dangers of cat bottoms, but another spurt of growth and they will have to come off. Anyway, this is what my October sown broad beans look like now!
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