Kitchen Garden Forum

I am trying saving my own broad bean seeds this year for the first time. I left several pods on the plants after I'd picked the rest and left them to dry naturally without watering them. I looked at a couple yesterday and found they had rotted inside the pod. It has rained a bit recently. Have I done it all wrong or am I just unlucky with the weather?
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Granny

Hi Granny,
I think that you have been terribly unlucky.
I generally take the first picking off about four plants and leave them simply for seed. Ultimately the pods beging to turn brown and I dig the entire plants out of the ground and hang them up in the small barn(as opposed to the big ones)which houses most of my gardening equipment. When the pods begin to split I lay out a large piece of polythene and thrash the plant pick up the seeds then compost the haulm. I seldom water my Broad Beans as we have enough rainfall hereabouts.
JB.

Thanks JB. I'll try again next year.
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Granny

Could I save Peas for next year as Johnboy described doing for Broad beans, I got back from holiday the weekend and found quiet a few pea pods had gone brown and dry, or will I need fresh seed for next year?
Bren

Dear Bren, there is no reason at all why you shouldn't save your own pea seed. Some of the older boys used to say, your own seed is better as it gets used to local growing conditions.