Topic: raised beds and broad beans

[Gadget]

Hi all,

I have just got my first alloment, and very excited about it all, I have been reading through my "allotment guidebook" which touches on raised beds, I would like just 2 areas of my lotty to have raised beds one for flowers and one for herbs.  I have an old broken pine bed which I thought (i) could recycle (ii) won't cost me anything.

My questions are: how do you make a raised bed? and can any tell me about the best way to grow broad beans.

All very excited and a bit confused. :-\

[calendula]

raised beds so called don't always have to have edging to them but it does help contain the soil and don't even have to be raised can just be a 'bed', i.e. a smaller bit of land dedicated to the year's selected crops - smaller can mean more manageable but inevitably the space around raised beds is wasted somewhat

if you are using edging than the bed needs to be filled up so you might want to get some manure to help with this unless you have plenty of home made compost, otherwise it will be expensive to fill with bought compost

broad beans - go through the varieties selecting what appeals - tall (might need staking), short, pod size, flower colour, rare varieties, flavour etc and getting sowing about now, in situ using a dibber and drop the seed in and cover up - I tend to space mine quite close, say 5 " apart and the rows the same - works for me  :)

[saddad]

Welcome to A4A Gadget...
 :)

[Gadget]

Thank you Calendula on both bits of advice, I have inherited a compost heap the size of a small blue whale, I am going into battle with it at the weekend, with a bit of luck there will be lots of lovely compost underneath and I can contain the rest in a proper box (also going to be made out of my pine bed) think I am going to be a busy gal.

So you sow straight from seed, cool, that means I can also get my potatoes in as well :)...I'm sure I will be back with more questions but this is something to get on with...thank you again.

and Hi to  Saddad  :)

[saddad]

Hi Gadget... it can speed up germination if you soak them in tepid water for a few hours before planting.... you will see them swell, which they do slowly in the ground before germinating. You might need to cover them to stop mice stealing the beans...  :)

[chriscross1966]

Hi Gadget... it can speed up germination if you soak them in tepid water for a few hours before planting.... you will see them swell, which they do slowly in the ground before germinating. You might need to cover them to stop mice stealing the beans...  :)

...which is why I module sow mine and plant out at about 3-4 weeks old. They're in an open cold-frame through the day and I bring them in at night.... Also module sowing means you plant out plants at the spacing you decide (I tend to go 8" double rows spaced 18" apart for my standards and 6" at a foot for my dwarfs).... Have an ask round site to see what other folks are growing variety wise, sometimes you'll find one variety suits the soil really well and no-one bothers with much else.....

chrisc

[Gadget]

Thanks peeps, I did read somewhere that if you cut the bottoms of small bottles of water and take the lid off, these act like mini cold frames? another though if you pushed them into the ground then the mices will have a harder job, will keep you infomred on that one.  :)

[chriscross1966]

Thanks peeps, I did read somewhere that if you cut the bottoms of small bottles of water and take the lid off, these act like mini cold frames? another though if you pushed them into the ground then the mices will have a harder job, will keep you infomred on that one.  :)

Broad beans don't want to too covered at this time of year.... one nice day and the plant will cook.... PLus mice can burrow......

chrisc

[Gadget]

good point, hadn't thought of that one, think i will seed some up and bring them on as you suggest. I know that slugs like most things, what would you recommend for protecting my plants, I have already 3 well established gooseberry bushes and 4 blackcurrent bushes which look like they were cut back last autumn, and I have a rhubarb which looks about 2 years old, but not quite sure how to care for them, any ideas?

[chriscross1966]

Almost impossible to kill rhubarb :D... You might want to sort out a fruit cage for the others though, check with other folk on the site with fruit to see if they have a problem with them as pests... The fruit bushes will want a top-dressign soon, something with plenty of potash in it, tomato food probably a good thing, the rhubarb wuold be better with just a general feed, growmore or BFB..

Slugs is an emotive subject.... I use a mixture of nematodes to get the underground ones in my spud patch and the iron-based organic slug pellets round anything that's really likely to get nibbled.... they only tend to go for BB's when they are very small.... another advantage of module-sowing

chrisc

[artichoke]

I maintain that mice do not steal pre-chitted broad bean (and pea) seeds. I always soak mine and keep in damp paper until they show a root, then plant them. Neighbours on allotment site have had mice steal their beans but it has never happened to me. Something about the taste, smell, lack of?

Had a conversation about it only today - neighbour said "no point in sowing BB seeds, mice take them, took mine last year, left lots of neat little holes" but under our noses were my rows of healthy plants, sown in October and November. The only gaps were those killed by frost and snow, not many, and filled by more pre-chitted seeds (not showing yet, admittedly, but no little holes dug by mice).

[Digeroo]

I usually cover my broad beans with plastic bottles they seem to be very tolerant of a hot day.  I sowed some a couple of weeks ago but had run out of bottles, then I decided today to have a little firkle and see how they were getting on and I cannot find even one bean.  Back to the bottles.  It seems to be squirrels and deer for me they are not fussy if they are chitted or not.

I am an expert at killing rhubarb I have killed at least four in the garden they just give up.  Things are better at the lottie it seems to like it better there.  I do not think they like the underlying gravel in the garden. 

[Vinlander]

I maintain that mice do not steal pre-chitted broad bean (and pea) seeds. I always soak mine and keep in damp paper until they show a root, then plant them. Neighbours on allotment site have had mice steal their beans but it has never happened to me. Something about the taste, smell, lack of?

Had a conversation about it only today - neighbour said "no point in sowing BB seeds, mice take them, took mine last year, left lots of neat little holes" but under our noses were my rows of healthy plants, sown in October and November. The only gaps were those killed by frost and snow, not many, and filled by more pre-chitted seeds (not showing yet, admittedly, but no little holes dug by mice).

I've tried chitting peas and soaking them in paraffin too - neither work with early sowings - when the mice have few alternatives - and neither are necessary with late sowings when the mice have other fish to fry.

The only thing that works here with early sowings is growing them on in modules until the sprouts are 15cm high (when the seed is nearly spent).

Guttering is a bit shallow for this amount of growth - I recommend bottomless pots - the sides of 1L fruit juice 'bricks' or the wide part of 6 pint milk containers are 100mm deep, the right size for a section of row and fit neatly in trays.

[Jeannine]

Isow BB in 3 inch potsand plant out when about three inches high.. why.. cos all the other gambles are taken away and I have BB plants when I want them..it always works well for me and no mice probs.. re your rhubarb, just leave it alone. it will come through,, give it a feed from your compost by all means,I have moved rhubarb all the time, all weathers and times of year, totally contrary to the instructions and I have never killed it.. the point.. well you probably don't need to do anything to it..it will be fine.

Welcome and enjoy.

XX Jeannine

[Gadget]

Thanks guys and gals for all your expertise :) I know that I will be back for more when I have decided what I want to do with the rest of the plot, so watch this space.

In the meantime happy digging  :)

[BoardStupid]

Hi gadget,

 Might be a little late for you to collect them. But I sow my broad beans into used toilet roll centres. It gives them a nice root system and you can plant the whole thing into the soil. The cardboard will rot away eventually so no root disturbance.

Welcome to A4A, it's a great source of like minded people. Many a stupid question has been asked by myself and others

Adam

[Robert_Brenchley]

I start peas and beans in pots, then plant them out. BB's are pretty bombproof. If you want to overwinter them go for Aquadulce Claudia, but you can plant any variety now.

[Gadget]

That is just genius Adam, and I suppose you can apply it to other seeds aswell.

Have to say that I am loving this forum is is really full of useful tips and lovely people, it's nice to know that you can feel like a total numpty about the simplist of stuff.

and thank you Robert for your advice too... :)