How to grow Broad Beans in New Zealand

Where to plant

Sow broad beans in full sun in well-drained soil. They grow in almost any soil and prefer the cooler months of autumn, winter and spring. Choose a spot sheltered from strong wind, or plan to support the plants, as tall varieties can blow over.

• Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, the central North Island, Wellington, and Nelson and Marlborough: sow from March to July and let the plants stand through winter for a spring crop.
• Canterbury: sow in autumn to overwinter, and again in August or September for a later crop.
• Otago and Southland: sow from April to June to overwinter, or from August to October for a summer crop.
• Central Otago: spring sowings from August are the safer bet. Autumn-sown plants need to be small and sturdy going into winter, or they suffer in the hard frosts.

Choosing a variety

• Coles Dwarf Prolific: early and vigorous, with 25 cm pods of 6 to 7 beans. More compact, and good in windy or small gardens.
• Super Aquadulce: large pods with succulent beans for eating fresh or freezing. Easy in almost any soil.
• Hughey: a prolific variety selected in Otago, with scarlet flowers that add winter colour.
• Crimson Flowered: a heritage variety with deep red flowers and tender beans.

How to plant

1. Rake the bed; there is no need for rich fertiliser, as broad beans make their own nitrogen.
2. Sow seed directly about 4 to 5 cm deep and 10 to 20 cm apart, in rows about 45 cm apart, or in a double row.
3. Water once after sowing, then do not water again until the seedlings emerge in about two weeks. Limiting water helps stop the seed rotting.
4. When plants are about 10 cm tall, put stakes around the edges and through the middle of the patch and run twine between them to hold the plants up.

Watering and feeding

In winter, rain usually does the watering. In dry spells, especially in spring as the pods fill, water deeply.

Broad beans need little feeding. A light liquid feed in spring as flowering starts is enough.

Pruning and care through the year

• Once the lowest pods have formed, pinch out the growing tips. This pushes energy into the pods and removes the soft tips that black aphids cluster on.
• If early spring is cold, plants may drop their first flowers. This is natural, and more flowers soon follow.
• When the crop is finished, cut the plants down and dig them into the soil, or compost them, to return their nitrogen.

Harvesting

Pick pods young, at about 10 to 15 cm, to cook and eat whole, or let them fill out until you can feel the beans inside, but before the pods toughen and the scar on each bean darkens. Pick from the bottom of the plant up, every few days, to keep it producing.

Pods keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Shelled beans freeze well for months.

Growing in pots

Broad beans can be grown in a large pot or trough at least 30 cm deep. Choose a compact variety such as Coles Dwarf Prolific and support the plants with stakes and twine.

Using it

Eat young pods sliced and cooked as a green vegetable, or shell the beans for dips, salads, casseroles and risotto. Large beans are nicer double-peeled: blanch them briefly and slip off the pale outer skin.