Broad bean issues

[Arwel]

Hi,

Attached is a photo of my broad bean plants. They're heirloom aquadulce and I planted them last autumn. They survived the winter and have already produced some broad beans. There are a few issues i'd like to resolve though...

Firstly, will it be possible to plant some of this year's crop immediately or will the beans have to be dormant for a while before they activate?? I ask because I reckon I have time to start a new crop from scratch if I get the beans in ASAP

Secondly, on most of the plants there are only pods and/or flowers on the lower third. I think this may be because I put too much blood&bone on them so that they started producing more leaves than pods...Is this true and is it possible to rectify??

Finally, notice the bites around the outside of the leaves. Every plant has been affected in the same way. Any idea what was responsible?? I dont think its caused much harm so i'm only asking out of curiosity.

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Many thanks
Arwel

[Green Aura]

Can't add much but check for aphids - broad beans are black fly magnets.

[Odsox]

The semicircular bites out of the edges of the leaves are caused by the bean weevil. They attack peas in just the same way too, but don't really do much harm if the plants are growing strongly.
You can sow broad beans just about any time you like, although they are not that keen on hot dry weather, so maybe not through the middle of summer. You can certainly get an autumn crop by sowing around mid summer.

Beans or peas don't need any fertiliser at all as they make their own nitrogen in nodules on their roots, so don't waste it on them. Fertilising them almost certainly has caused the spurt in leafy growth.
You might want to pinch the tops off now, that will encourage the flowers to set and the pods to fill up, as well as stopping bad attacks of blackfly. You can eat the tops as a vegetable, so don't waste them either.

Sorry, just re-read your post. Seed saved from your own beans need to be left on the plant until the pods are brown and dry. Then they will germinate no problem. Here by the sea I get peas and broad beans germinating while they are still in the pods, so they certainly don't need a dormant period.
Hope that helps.

[Arwel]

Thanks for the replies. I won't bother with the blood n bone next time. I'll leave some of the larger pods on then, Odsox, and try n get a cheeky extra crop in this year.
Cheers!
Arwel

[Millymollymandy]

Ha - how funny - my broad beans have those munch marks this year too! This isn't the same thing that lays its eggs inside the pod is it like with peas?

[Odsox]

No, that is the pea moth and to the best of my knowledge they don't affect beans at all.
It's not the bean weevil that lays it's eggs on dry beans either, confusing or what ?

[Millymollymandy]

Yes much too confusing, I will just stick with battling the black fly!