At the start of the winter growing season I began an experiment. Would saved broad bean seeds grow better than commercial seed? I wanted to see if there was any difference. You can see that my saved seed was a different colour than the commercial seed. Neither seed had been treated, so I thought that it would be a fair test.
You can read about how I planned the test and sowed the seed back in May 2014.
Saved Seed (L) vs Commercial Seed (R)
Well the verdict is in. Drum roll please…
From what I have observed, there is no difference in height or yield of the different plants. The controls that I put in place were that I watered the bed evenly with the irrigation system. Both parts of the bed received equal sunlight; about 6 hours a day. Both batches were fertilised with the same amount of liquid fertiliser, one watering can distributed over each batch.
The final height of the broad bean patch.
The flowers have stopped appearing, so it is nearly time to harvest the entire bed, which Ben and I will do during next weekend.
I also took a split test photo to see if the bean pods looked any different between the two batches. Earlier on in the year, I marked where the first batch ended and the second started.
Saved Left, Commercial Right
Not very scientific, I know, but under the circumstances it was the best I could do. Each plant had three pods per plant. I tasted the bean from each type and found no discernible difference.
Fresh Broad Bean Seed
Both were absolutely delicious.
An interesting fact is that The Seed Savers’ Handbook states that Broad Bean seed is viable for four years if stored in good conditions. I will be saving the seed from four plants this year using my usual method. I cut the plants off near the soil and hang them upside down from the carport rafters with string until they dry out. Easy as pie. I then collect the seed from each pod and store in an airtight glass jar in my seed box inside the house. The seed box is nice and dark.
So there you have it. Same result with both types. The best thing about this years’ crop is that there has been no sign of Broad Bean Rust. All plants are very healthy even though we have had some very strong northerly winds that usually spread the rust fungi.
How many of you planted this wonderful bean this year? Did you have any issues that I may be able to help out with? Should me a question via comment, and I will endeavour to answer it.
Hey Gav, nice experiment. 🙂 I’m eating some of last years frozen broad beans in my dinner tonight actually. Yes, we still have some left. 🙂
I’ve broad beans in the garden but I have a major pest issue known as a small herd of children who decided that it was faster to go THROUGH the broad bean bed rather than around it. 🙁 Harvest officially decimated. 🙁 On the bright side, the garden bed will have improved from the nitrogen nodules on the roots of the bean plants at least. And I do have either end of that bed to harvest, plus another smaller bed. They’re all podding up now. 🙂
Sounds like a bit of an adventure playground at your place Jessie. Glad you will have something to harvest! x
I might make harvest if Jas stops eating them all raw from the garden!
Hi Gavin, I can recommend lightly steamed broad beans and silver beet leaves in an omelette with a little goats cheese. I’ve just started harvesting mine, all grown from saved seed from last year. Lots of pods, but I have a problem with wind damage. I usually stake the broad bean bed and pass baling twine through the plants to give them some support. This year I didn’t get around to this and I lost lots of stems in the high winds we had. So the bed looks a bit of a mess… Not beautifully neat like yours.
Hi Deb. I used to use twine as well with star pickets in each corner of the bed. Now I figure that because it is quite well sheltered, I leave them to their own devices.
Eating fresh broad beans has to be one of the highlights of the year. I only had one bed planted and in eager anticipation of getting tomatoes in and fruiting by Christmas the whole lot was picked on Friday.
I recommend eating the smaller ones raw, mashed in a mortar and pestle with garlic, Parmesan and olive oil, eaten on good bread. Heaven. Others were cooked very lightly and tossed through pasta with crispy ham.
An advantage of picking them a little young is being able to avoid second peeling them.
Wonderful plants, the tops get eaten around here too. Very good in risotto.
I grow them in the front yard. Nothing says “I’m a veggie gardener” like big patch of broad beans 🙂
I love your recipe suggestion Cameron. Just like a basil pesto but with Broad Beans instead. I will have to try it.
Gavin I saw an ad for a gardening Ap for iPad on your site somewhere but I can’t find it now. Could you send me the name please. Ta
Hi Beatrix. The one I use is Gardenate. Just search for it in the appstore or visit the site
Hi Gavin – just wondering if you can blanche and freeze the whole bean with pods and then defrost and use the pods as seed later?
I can’t find my dried ones and have a frozen packet of beans left that weren’t dried…🤔