Hi everyone!
Once a month, I get sent statistics from Google. They tell me what people have been searching for when they click through to my website.
This letter is to the 30 odd Kiwis who keep googling,
“Broad beans won’t grow”
“How to grow broad beans nz”
“Broad beans no beans”
“how to deep plant broad beans”
Hi, it’s me, the broad beans queen.
I don’t know how I won this title, but broad been worriers flock to me? Maybe?
Are they in the ground yet?
Dig in some good compost before planting your beans. If you haven’t done this, and they are already in the ground, don’t stress too much. Broad beans are eternally patient and forgiving things, much like my teenager and my coworkers.
Plant broad bean seeds by pushing them into the ground until about the first knuckle in your finger hits dirt (3cm? An inch? Or so).
Stand on it to compact the soil a little bit.
Water it, if the soil is a little dry.
-Or-
Take your seedling and plant it so that the soil level around your seedling is the same as the soil level of the garden bed. Gently compact around it. Water it in. Mulch it if you have mulch.
Pop a stake, growing hoop or similar by your broad beans. Have a plan, they will get about 60cm high or higher, and they will annoy you if you don’t have something to tether them to.
Deep planting broad beans
Why? They are happy. Are you annoyed about how the stems go all wibbly-wobbly? Stake ‘em. Just plant as above.
Don’t force them upright if you took too long to stake ‘em. They really don’t care that much. At some point, you will despair a little because the stems aren’t straight. The broad beans don’t care. Just try to make sure there’s some airflow going around and through them. I tend to put all of mine in a mesh cage, which they lean up against.
Why aren’t they growing? What did I do wrong?
Assuming your beans are getting some amount of sun, they are growing. They are coming. They are just a bit sneaky, and suddenly sort of appear, and you will feel like they have always been there. They are like a teenager or coworker- don’t watch them too much, they will feel awkward and you will get annoyed with them.
Why aren’t they turning into flowers?
See above. Wait.
Why aren’t the flowers turning into beans?
You will get yourself into conniptions. Your broad bean plants will grow broad bean pods, I promise. All of a sudden you will see somewhat large pods and wonder, how did that happen so fast!
What can I do to make my broad beans grow/be happy?
Much like a teenager or coworker, do not spray your broad beans with any sorts of liquids. Broad beans are susceptible to fungal infections (rust) on their leaves, and putting high nutrient water on the leaves is going to add to the likelihood that rust turns up.
Simply present them with food in a quiet, kind way and back off- they prefer to have the food which they turned up with (what is already in the soil), so if you didn’t dig in some nice compost or sheep pellets when planting, a top dressing would go down well.
Winter is actually a much dryer season than you would think. Between the rains, the soil can dry out, and if there is a sunny afternoon that can happen relatively quickly. So, if it is a nice day, it would pay to see if your broad beans could do with some water.
Or don’t. Broad beans, if still intact 3-4 months after planting, will have beans on them, so don’t fret!
I am opening up the floor to further broad bean related questions. If you have any, drop me a DM :)
Have a great week, everyone.