Townie
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Autumn sowing ~ Broad Beans & PeasI got the new Marshalls Seed Catalogue in the door yesterday and there was a leaflet inside the pack with details of Broad Beans and Peas that you can sow in October or November!  never seen these before, has anyone else?
Here's the blurb from the leaflet...
Aquadulce Claudia - The ultimate autumn sowing broad bean
Sow Aquadulce in autumn, preferably in october or November, and this broad bean will priduce hardy young plants, strong enough to stand the winter frosts and ready to grow away as quickly as soon as warmer spring days arrive. Net plants to deter damage from wildlife.. £1/85 a packet with 75 bean per pack
Douce de Provence - The perfect autumn sowing extra early cropping pea
This particular variety is a round seeded pea (as opposed to its wrinkled-seeded cousins) which means you can sow it from late september to early november, this will ensure the young plants establish themselves before winter sets in. Once spring arrives they'll continue to develop well ahead of your spring sown peas...... £1.75 a packet with 300 seeds per pack
Wonder if they need any protection, like a cloche ?
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Maidenstone
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I've had such good results with my broad beans this year that I'll carry on planting in spring (though I was late this year!) Mine grew to the top of the runner bean sticks next door!
My mum always used to keep her own seed for runner beans. She would leave big pods on to harden off for seed. She did it for years and no disease probs. Might this work for other beans?
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Diana
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Yep, I've never tried it at this latitude though. After they've flowered, you can also cut them down and they'll regrow and crop again (applies to all broad beans), but it depends if you have enough year left for them to be pollinated as to whether it's worth doing.
I generally sow my early BBs in toilet roll tubes indoors around the turn of the year, then plant out early spring (when you'd usually be sowing beans). This usually gives a nice early crop (without feeding the slugs over winter) and the beans sown in early spring carry straight on.
Maidenhead - I keep my broad beans for seed too. Got an old variety with crimson flowers that did especially well and I've never bought seed for that (been growing it for about 10 years from saved seed I was given).
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Maria
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Diana wrote | Quote: | I keep my broad beans for seed too. Got an old variety with crimson flowers that did especially well and I've never bought seed for that (been growing it for about 10 years from saved seed I was given).
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Wow!!!! I'm saving broad beans for the first time this year...a gift from Ironworker....not sure of the variety (help IW) but wishing i'll have the same luck as you.
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Maidenstone
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One year my Dad decided to give Mum a hand and kindly pick all the beans for her ... he was NOT popular!!!!
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