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March and April are ideal months for planting broad bean seeds. The plants grow rapidly in the warm autumn soil and are toughened by the cold winter weather. This makes them less susceptible to black aphid attack.
For rapid germination soak the beans for 24 hours before sowing.
Ensure dolomite or lime is applied as they do not like acid soils. Wood ash is an excellent natural fertiliser. Do not add extra nitrogen, as the plants grow too tall and lanky.
Broad beans are ideal cover crop or green manure crop as they provide nitrogen back to the soil through rhizobium bacteria nodules on their roots (look for little white lumps clustered around the roots).
Plant broad beans immediately after harvesting brassica crops or root crops.
Coles Dwarf variety, generally grow taller than one metre, so they also need a string support system.
Harvest the young growing tips and cook as a tender green vegetable.
By Phil Watson