Growing Broad Beans

I have such fond memories of spending time with my maternal grandfather, my Granfer, at his allotment in south London. We would walk up the road from their house and enter the allotments through an old stone wall by the picturesque alms houses and stables. Now when I sow broad beans every spring, I still think of my Granfer and my Gran too – both of whom inspired my love of gardening from such an early age.

Granfer was extremely lucky to have an allotment even before the start of WW2 and kept it until he died at the age of 79.  He loved growing vegetables whilst Gran was always in charge of the flowers in their picturesque little garden. I recall sitting on their back doorstep in the sunshine, shucking the broad beans (and peas) that Granfer had lovingly cultivated, gently teasing the vibrantly fresh green beans from their soft furry beds and popping them into a colander.

Broad beans can be sown early in the year, as early as February – perfect for spring sowing and one of the earliest vegetables you can harvest. You can also buy autumn sowing varieties too, so it is important to buy the right ones for spring planting.

Broad beans can be sown in the ground, in raised beds or in pots, whichever you prefer and have space for. Be warned though – if you sow too early in the year, the ground could be frozen or soggy, so I always start mine off in modular trays in the greenhouse but they could go in a cold frame or even on a sunny window sill. By sowing undercover, we’re giving the seeds a chance to germinate in more controlled conditions.

There are many varieties of broad beans to choose from so why not try a few different ones this year? This spring I’m succession sowing Eleonora from Tamar Organics in my greenhouse.  Eleonora is an express broad bean and shoots are already appearing after only 10 days. At The Raymond Blanc Gardening School at the world-renowned Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in Oxfordshire, August Bernstein Head of the Gardening School told me their gardeners actually handpick the beautiful, sweet flowers on the morning harvest for the chefs. Its leaves are edible and delicious in salads.

Broad beans are relatively quick to germinate so once the young plants are six weeks old and their roots have filled their pot or module, they can be hardened off before transplanting to their final growing site. It can be a good idea to cover the newly sown area with netting to protect from birds and squirrels.

Broad beans are a great source of vitamins A, C and E as well as protein and fibre, and you can even cook the pinched out tips as a taster alternative to spinach. Why not try some of Jamie’s delicious broad bean recipes.

At Holly & Thyme, we recommend establishing a regular gardening subscription service to keep your flowers, vegetables and herbs vibrant and full of vitality.  Beginning a routine in spring maximises garden performance, allowing us to implement essential care practices as your garden emerges from winter and heads into full bloom.