Your comments and tips

11 Oct 13, Debbie (Australia - temperate climate)

We have had a fantastic crop of broad beans (our first year growing them) and wondered if anyone knows about drying them. You often see recipes for using dried fava beans but we are not sure how to go about this. We do have a food dehydrator but there is no mention of broad beans in the instructions.

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22 Oct 13, Andrew S (Australia - temperate climate)

G'day Debbie Best way we dried the beans was to either keep them in the pod on the plant and let them dry naturally as summer picked up , or place them on a drying rack in the shade on a hot day. Again we found the best ones were those that dried in pods. What you don't eat becomes next years crop. Going to try some in a plate drying this year.

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28 Sep 13, Craig (Australia - temperate climate)

My broad beans were planted from seed the end of march. I have used seasol + seasol vegetable concentrate once a week lightly watered in a watering can mix then a deep water. The flowers started in July and the plants are 200cm high. the beans started beginning September and are now in full bloom. be patient and topping the plants to avoid over-growth and limiting new bottom shoots will help stimulate the beans. water morning and evening for late bloomers. When the bees start to move on your in for a bumper crop.

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13 Sep 13, frank (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

My broad beans plants are being eaten from the upper stalk to middle of stalk including all flowers, leaves and baby pods. What is eating them???No parrots around yet !! or Possums ?? sending me crazy

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04 Sep 13, Larsy (Australia - temperate climate)

My broad beans appear to have rust spots appearing on the leaves. I want to save seed from these plants. Will the rust affect the next generation if the seed is saved?

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04 Sep 13, Lee Patterson (Australia - temperate climate)

I did ask a couple of times about my Broad Beans. They are now fruiting but I pulled all the Brussel Sprout plants as they did no good.

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28 Aug 13, Antonio (Australia - tropical climate)

My broad beans plants have plenty of flowers but after more than one week with flowers I can not see any pods. What is wrong with them? When should I see fruit pods?

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30 Aug 13, joe (Australia - temperate climate)

flowers may show for a month or more..don,t worry.the warm weather days will get them moving. also there is a only a few bees around im trying to get my basil and and lavender into flower. and hopfuly attract more bees.this may help also.

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21 Aug 13, Robin Scott (Australia - temperate climate)

Something that I have found useful with broad beans. Like many gardeners, we have a problem with cabbage white butterfly, and I found quite by accident that after they have finished their working day, they retire to the broad beans for the night. Had me puzzled as to why until I realized that their white wings with black spot are very similar to broad bean flowers. Just go in at dusk and pick them off!

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18 Aug 13, Lee Patterson (Australia - temperate climate)

My Broad Beans plants are quite high and have the flowers on them and plenty of BEES which I haven't seen in the garden for ages. I still have no fruit on them. Should I just leave them or pull them out. Also Brussel Sprouts with no fruit. Can anyone help. Thank you.

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