Back in November I sowed a couple of dozen Broad Beans (Fava), Aquadulce in pots in the garden. They are a variety that can be over-wintered, and true to form they have survived the snow, rain and frosts. To be honest I should have planted them out as soon as I got back from France in January, but what with 1 thing and another I got round to planting them on 26th February. By then they were looking a bit leggy and were thoroughly pot bound.

So the broad beans have been in the ground for a month, are only about a foot tall and they have worryingly started to flower. Over the last couple of weeks we’ve had some great weather, warm sunny blue sky days. They shouldn’t be flowering until they are fully grown (2 to 3 foot), and sometime in late April/early May.

So whether we’ll get a good crop from these plants, who knows. Last year’s BB’s got well and truly hammered by Black Fly. And with this early flowering I’m beginning to wonder whether these will produce

I’ve sown another back up batch of Aquaducle, and another variety Grano Violetto – the full name is Extra Precoce a Grano Violetto (from Nicky’s Seeds), and they describe these as a “Heritage variety with an excellent flavour.  Fresh seed is green in colour and dried seed is violet in colour. Pods are approximately 20cm in length and about 6 beans per pod, plants approx 90cm high.” And as they say the seeds are a stunning violet colour!