I'm new to growing fruit and veg so sorry if this seems a really
obvious question. How do I know when to harvest broad beans. The pods
are quite big and the plants have finished flowering. Are they ready
to pick now.
cheers
cheryl

In article , cheryl
buxton writes
I'm new to growing fruit and veg so sorry if this seems a really
obvious question. How do I know when to harvest broad beans. The pods
are quite big and the plants have finished flowering. Are they ready
to pick now.

The pods start off pointing upwards. They are ready to pick when they
start to hang down.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Feel them and if they are full, i.e. no slack space, they are ready

--
http://www.bushwatch.com/bushlies.htm
"cheryl buxton" wrote in message
m...
: I'm new to growing fruit and veg so sorry if this seems a really
: obvious question. How do I know when to harvest broad beans. The pods
: are quite big and the plants have finished flowering. Are they ready
: to pick now.
: cheers
: cheryl

The message
from Kay Easton contains these words:

In article , cheryl
buxton writes
I'm new to growing fruit and veg so sorry if this seems a really
obvious question. How do I know when to harvest broad beans. The pods
are quite big and the plants have finished flowering. Are they ready
to pick now.

The pods start off pointing upwards. They are ready to pick when they
start to hang down.

Or, just open a pod and look. I can never resist picking some before
they are really ready, the small beans are very tender and delicious.

Janet.

In article , cheryl
buxton writes
I'm new to growing fruit and veg so sorry if this seems a really
obvious question. How do I know when to harvest broad beans. The pods
are quite big and the plants have finished flowering. Are they ready
to pick now.
Broad beans can be picked very small, or left to grow on a bit larger if
you wish, but if they are left on the plant for too long, the beans
will become tough and less pleasant to eat. Taking them early can
encourage more new pods to form up too. When the beans can be seen
pressing against the shell of the pod, and the outside of the pod begins
to develop dark blotches, it is getting past the time to harvest them.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

In article ,
Alan Gould wrote:
In article , cheryl
buxton writes
I'm new to growing fruit and veg so sorry if this seems a really
obvious question. How do I know when to harvest broad beans. The pods
are quite big and the plants have finished flowering. Are they ready
to pick now.

Broad beans can be picked very small, or left to grow on a bit larger if
you wish, but if they are left on the plant for too long, the beans
will become tough and less pleasant to eat. Taking them early can
encourage more new pods to form up too. When the beans can be seen
pressing against the shell of the pod, and the outside of the pod begins
to develop dark blotches, it is getting past the time to harvest them.

They can also be eaten as pods when very small (a French custom),
or left to ripen and dry. Anyone wanting authentic beans for a
mediaeval European dish should do that.

I eat the tops if not too many blackfly, and the young podded beans,
but have done the others.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

in article , Janet Baraclough at
wrote on 16/6/03 11:52 pm:

The message
from Kay Easton contains these words:

In article , cheryl
buxton writes
I'm new to growing fruit and veg so sorry if this seems a really
obvious question. How do I know when to harvest broad beans. The pods
are quite big and the plants have finished flowering. Are they ready
to pick now.

The pods start off pointing upwards. They are ready to pick when they
start to hang down.

Or, just open a pod and look. I can never resist picking some before
they are really ready, the small beans are very tender and delicious.

Janet.
The French put small, raw beans into salads and they are wonderful.
--

Sacha

In article ,
(Alan Gould) wrote:

Taking them early can
encourage more new pods to form up too.

Does this encourage more flowers and hence pods or do more pods form
from whence you picked?

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

In article , Steve
Harris writes
In article ,
(Alan Gould) wrote:

Taking them early can
encourage more new pods to form up too.

Does this encourage more flowers and hence pods or do more pods form
from whence you picked?

More flowers form up on more new higher stems or on existing stems.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

In article ,
(Alan Gould) wrote:

More flowers form up on more new higher stems or on existing stems.

Ok. What I found with my "The Sutton" which impatiently, I picked at
less than maximum size was that it flowered ones and then podded. No
sign of a second flush of flowers.

I chopped most of them down because I thought they were finished but
I'll watch the remaining 3 plants to see if they produce more flowers
and beans later on.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com