Broad beans are high in protein & fibre ,an excellent source of folate also a good source of other B vitamins. They are rich in Phytosterols which help lower cholesterol levels in the body, they are an excellent source of minerals such as iron, copper, calcium, magnesium, & potassium. It was widely believed that rubbing a wart on the furry inside of the bean pod would cause it to shrivel & disappear. Beans were also found in the tombs in ancient Eygypt where they were left as food for the departed & their souls in the afterlife. The Greek philosopher & Mathematician Pythagoras forbid his followers to eat or touch the bean as he said they contained souls of the dead.
Broad beans always grow better in fertile well drained soil where plenty of compost or manure has been dug in. A sheltered site is considered for Autumn sowing, spring sowing is fine out in the open. Once the beans begin to form pinch out the top of the plants to deter black fly.
Always remember to read the seed packet for growing instructions.
Blog & research by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
