Broad beans dissapointing

[hubballi]

I got some already sowed broad beans from a nursery and put them in the garden the end of June. I have not fed them as advised here as they make nitrogen themselves. I have sprayed the folliage with sea weed and watered well but the plants are small and weedy with some beans growing that are not that big, even now in Aug. Is it too late to revive them with something so they will crop better?

They are supposed to be the easy bean to grow. Not for me ther'e not.

[Lesley Jay]

Before planting your veg did you dig in any organic matter such as compost or leaf mould? It could be that with growing in your garden the ground is lacking a bit. Growmore is a general fertilizer that I sprinkle around the plants when I have just planted them. You could give the ground around the plants a sprinkling of Growmore which you can buy from the garden centres.

Next season grow some broad beans in containers as a 'back up' and then you will be able to compare the results between plants grown in the ground and those in pots.

[paul]

Hi Hubbali,

Could it be the ones that you have bought from the nursery perhaps. ??

I grew mine from a packet of seeds on a well manured bit of land that was well dug in. I didn't use any fertilizer or anything but water regularly. Although they did take a while to germinate ( I almost gave up on them ) the grew well when started and I have had a magnificent crop of well sized beans.

[hubballi]

I did dig a bit of compost from my bin in the soil before I planted. I will try the growmore. Would chicken manure work as good? I also have blood fish and bone.

[Lesley Jay]

Blood fish and bone is an all-round fertilizer with NPK at 6.6.6. I've never used it though. Growmore is also an all-round fertilizer with NPK at 7.7.7. The NPK on chicken pellets is not as high. If I had a choice I would use Growmore as it is a granular form so doesn't blow away when applied.

[malcolmx]

beans produce nitrogen nodules that are released in the soil but they do need nitrogen to grow but an application of of a green leaf fertilizer will produce leggy plants and weak stems also no fruit (beans)
water daily with tomorite pinch out tops after 3 sets of pods show and keep hoeing and feeding

they are easy to grow from seed so plant end of sept under fleece for early spring crop

[Lesley Jay]

Broad beans do produce nitrogen nodules that release nitrogen into the soil but the plant fixes nitrogen from the air while it is growing, so broad beans do not need a nitrogen rich feed. Originally Hubballi was using liquid comfrey on the broad beans which is a high nitrogen feed.

Like Paul I have never fed broad bean plants and always get a good crop.

This is what makes growing vegetables interesting as there are really no 'hard and fast' rules and everyone has their own way of sowing, planting and growing vegetables so we can pick tips up all the time, like using tomato food on broad beans.

[hubballi]

Well, I used growmore as advised but still poor growth. The back plants are terrible, lots of holes in leaves from small snails and no beans. The front rows are better but still poor and not very tall. Some of the middle p0lants have twisted mutated beans.

[Lesley Jay]

I think Paul might be right that the problem has been caused from buying plants at the garden centre. There has been alot of trouble this year with contaminated manure and compost which is affecting growth. Have you used weed killer on the area?

Did you also buy your broccoli plants from the same place and are they growing well? Is the broccoli growing in the same area of your garden?

You said that rocket has been successful grown in a container, did you grow the rocket from seed? Sorry for all the questions!

[hubballi]

Yes, the Brocholli was bought from the same place at the same time but it is doing pretty well.

The Rocket was grown from seed but now it's bolting and flowering. Still pick it though.

As for peas, I planted them in a container with plenty of organic compost watered well. They must be the slowest growing veg I have ever seen. Very disappointing as there must be 4 plants in it with only 3 pods to show.

I didn't mention curly Kale. I grew that from seed and again very slow growth but looking ok. I read that they are not prone to pests eating them but it has been attacked by slugs and caterpillars.