Broad beans how tall

The stems are square in cross section, and can be grown as tall as 1. This is one of the first agricultural crops in history, dating back to BCE, or earlier when it was grown along side chickpeas and lentils in the Mediterranean region. These beans overwinter well in coastal gardens, and are commonly grown as a cover crop to prevent winter soil erosion as well as to fix nitrogen in the soil for spring planting.

If started in early spring, the crop will be ready to harvest by late summer. Broad beans contain another substance called tyramine, which must be avoided by people using the anti-depressant drug group known as MAO inhibitors. It is said that Sicily once suffered a horrible famine in a year when broad beans were the only crop for the people to stave off starvation.

Thanks are given to given to St. Best eaten freshly picked, home-grown crops have a far superior flavour to those found in supermarkets.

Broad beans are cheap and easy to grow from seeds, or you can purchase broad bean plants if you prefer. The perfect vegetable for beginners or children to grow, they're happy in the ground, raised beds or pots. Find our top tips on when and how to grow broad beans at home.

For all our varieties, browse both our pea and bean seeds and pea and bean plants categories. Here are a few of our favourites that you might like to try:. Grow your broad beans in full sun on rich, fertile, well-manured soil. Choose a sheltered spot, and position away from strong winds. If your soil is very wet or clay-based, start your broad bean plants off in pots to prevent the seeds from rotting in the ground. Broad beans are normally sown in the spring, from February to April.

However some varieties are particularly hardy and can be sown in autumn from October to November provided that the soil is still reasonably warm. November sowings usually germinate within weeks. They overwinter during the coldest months but start growing quickly again in spring, giving you a head start and an early harvest.

In severe winters you may need to use fleece or a cloche to protect your crop. Hyde Hall Essex. Rosemoor Devon. Wisley Surrey. Bridgewater Greater Manchester. Environmentally friendly gardening. Plant health. Take part in our research. Meet the team. Shop plants rhsplants. Shopping with the RHS. RHS Christmas gifts. Help us achieve our goals Make a donation.

Join the RHS today and support our charity Join now. Save to My scrapbook. Jobs to do now Sow hardy varieties outdoors, under cloches or in a greenhouse.

Delicious when eaten young. Early maturing. The long pods are early to mature. And as well as tasting good they enrich the soil with nitrogen, and handle the toughest frosts so can be planted now in all areas of Australia.

Linda has the low-down. Photo - photolibrary. Position Ideally, choose an open, sunny position for planting. Growing guide From March to May, sow broad beans directly into the soil. Growth While young, broad beans are self-supporting, but as they get taller they will get very top-heavy with pods. Pests and diseases Broad beans are very easy crops to grow and are largely untroubled by pests and diseases. Harvest constantly to ensure a continuous crop. Broad Bean varieties Coles Dwarf Prolific produces heavy crops on 1m-high plants.

Early Longpod to 1. Text: Linda Ross.