Broad Beans

[sawfish]

Just planted 80 broad beans out, Bunyards exhibition, Masterpiece green longpod, Supersimonia and Martock. I love em.

[sawfish]

[muddylou]

Yes you must really like them, I don't think I've ever eaten BB's before and had no luck growing them last year. I noticed today that the few plants I am growing are producing beans, so look forward to trying them. If I can be so bold, how long should they be before picking and do I need to peel them or are they cooked like runner beans. Thanks for any tips.

[chriscross1966]

There are some types that are OK eaten as green beans (ie in the pods but generally a broad bean is a shelled bean. Which variety are you growing ?

chrisc

[muddylou]

There are some types that are OK eaten as green beans (ie in the pods but generally a broad bean is a shelled bean. Which variety are you growing ?

chrisc

Cheers, I'm growing Aquadulche, they're about three inches long now.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Pick them while the beans are still fairly small, and use them as a shelling bean.

[sawfish]

i only ever shell them. I don't like them whole at all. I like shelling them quite young though, otherwise you have to shell the beans themselves as they get quite tough. They're by far my favourite bean.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'm going to let mine reach full size this year. I like them as a shelling bean, but the family don't. I've started blending them and using them to thicken soup, and it goes down quite well.

[Bugloss2009]

"Stereo" is sold as a mangetout type BB. Grew them last year. Thought they were horrible. Left them to grow full size for the shelled bean, but they were tiny. Literally a waste of space IMO

[realfood]

I often pick the young immature pods of my broad beans and eat them whole for an early taste. Steam and they are excellent. Any BB will do.

[sawfish]

I thoroughly recommend Martock beans. Loads and loads of small lovely beans.

[chriscross1966]

"Stereo", that's the one I was thinking of........ if they're Aquadulce then let them grow a bit, the pods shoudl be 6-8" long with properly defined bumps where the beans are, then pick the biggest and open it to check on the beans.... small and green is lovely but you need a lot, a bit bigger and grey-green is what I aim for, if you let them reach full size then you'll have to dehuill them as that skin is tough and rather bitter......
In season my favourite bean. and they freeze well.

chrisc

[Baaaaaaaa]

Planted mine in March, about 350,  unknown variety as I keep back some seed each year for the next (but generally, originally Aquadulce ).

I like them cooked small, when they are about the size of two-three peas.
If I miss them and they get too big and hard, I leave them to mature fully and harvest in the autumn. Then the larger ones are seed for next year and the smaller ones baked as sinfully addictive snax.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,59039.0.html

[Squashman]

I picked my first broad beans of the season today. 250 beans planted 9th november 2009.