Sorry ... but Broad Beans again!!!

[donedigging]

Hi all,

I have gone through the last five pages of posts, just to see if someone else has asked this question before..

If I have missed it then I am sorry.

The question is.. Am I too late for a final sowing of The Sutton??

[PAULW]

By looking at a seed merchants site I have found out that MAY is the last sowing date

[John]

Hello DD
Probably worth giving it a try. Broad beans don't germinate well at higher temperatures and this maybe why early summer sowings are never very successful but at the moment we're in a cool spell so I think it might be worth giving it a go.

John

[Johnboy]

I note what Paul has said but I'm sure that it is still worth a try.
I grow spring sown Masterpiece Green Longpod and when they have cropped I cut them back to approx 4" from the ground and they regenerate and give me a fairly good picking in late September. The only problem is pointed out by John and that is the germination. May I suggest that you could use the kitchen paper method and instead of using heat place them in the coolest place in the house. (but not the fridge) Once germination has taken place I feel that there will be no problem growing them on. I must confess that this I have never tried but will do a small trial to see how I get on but this will be with Masterpiece Green Longpod and not The Sutton.
JB.

[Chantal]

I like the idea of cutting them back to grow again JB, does this apply to all broad beans?

[donedigging]

Thank you all for your replies.

I think I will give it a go, nothing really to lose.

Very interesting reply from Johnboy, I never knew that you can cut them back so they regrow to give a second crop.

I will give that a go aswell. Thank you JB.

We all learn something new everyday.

[Johnboy]

Hi Chantal and DD,
I have always obtained a second helping and have not always used Masterpiece Green Longpod and have done this on several varieties but I'm afraid I cannot vouch for them all.
If you cut them down and they don't regenerate from the ground then I guess the answer is no but it is certainly worth a whorl!
JB.

[heyjude]

Interesting, this business of re-growing from a cut stem. I'm doing rather a lot of it at the moment in an effort to have a garden full of flowers in September (daughter's wedding) rather than earlier.

The high winds last week did the delphiniums for me!

[Monika]

I have tried the "cutting-back method", Johnboy, and it's never worked for me. Perhaps it's our climate or I have been too impatient but I have always ended up digging the plants in without any second crop, and that was for a number of different varietes.

[Mike Vogel]

What a great idea, JB. I was wondering what to sow where my broad beans are, but you have solved the problem.. the answer is: nothing! So I'll plant some lettuces there while waiting for the beans to resprout.

Thanks a lot.
mike

[donedigging]

morning johnboy,

Just a quick update on the cut broadbeans, they have all rust, went black and died, lifted and removed. The late ones I sowed are covered in green apids and are struggling.

What causes rust, nothing i have read exlpains it?

hope you can help?