Broad Bean and Leek Update (17th October)

 It is just over a month since my last full update and about ten days since I last mentioned these vegetables!

The main broad bean and leek plot is still looking good ...

Broad Beans and Leeks (17/10/22)

... good sturdy pest-free growth and plenty of flowers on the broad beans.

On a small test plot, separate from the main broad bean/leek plot, are nine broad bean plants (Luz de Otono) sown directly into the ground on 5th August. This photo, taken on the 17th October (i.e. just over 10 weeks after sowing), shows the first beans (about 3 - 4 cm) developing ...

First Broad Beans spotted on 17th October

This test plot is exactly where I dug up my blackfly-infested, Spring-sown broad beans earlier in the year. As such it provides a good test for the late-sowing of broad beans to avoid blackfly. Three of the plants (out of nine) were attacked by a minor blackfly infestation - successfully treated by pinching out the growing tips and only two applications of SB Invigorator.

The main broad bean patch (top photo) was planted from mid-August onwards and has been blackfly-free. Next year I would be interested in earlier, as well as later, sowings to provide a longer cropping period from September to November. Sowing instructions say from June onwards but I shall, initially, try some July sowings to see if these give a pest-free autumn crop.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed the kitchen garden remains frost-free until the crop is harvested. The bargraph below displays minimum (i.e. overnight) daily temperatures in my kitchen garden from August 1st to date (October 17th). September had one night when the overnight temperature dipped to below 5 ℃ while October has had two such nights so far - one when the temperature dropped to 1 ℃.

Overnight Minimum Temperatures From August 1st to October 17th

The outlook for the remainder of October looks fair but I'll dig out some horticultural fleece just in case.