Blackfly on broad beans

Try an autumn sowing - Aquadulcia Claudia is a good one. Plants mature before the blackfly really kicks in. I get a far better crop from them than my spring sowings.

Chilli lover, I have just looked and you are in Hampshire(?) For the first time ever, my autumn sown broad beans up here in the Fens have not over-wintered very well.

I have been told to pinch out the top leaves at some stage (possibly when first flowers appear) to avoid black fly. Does any one know more about this?

Hi Artjak - yes I'm in Hampshire! I always put my beans in polytunnels if that helps at all. This year however rather than my usual autumn sowing, because my mum was ill I didn't get mine in until January and I am still waiting for them to show  I pinch out the top leaves as soon as the first beans start to show at the bottom - don't pinch out when the first flowers appear or you will have no beans!

Yes, when the first beans are forming at the bottom then pinch off the top 7 cm of each plant - it will help prevent black fly infestation and encourage the  plants to produce beans.  Don't throw the tips away, steam them and serve with a knob of butter, or cook them in a stir fry - delicious 

Thank you

Yes, they are delicious cooked n the pod, but you need to pick them just a little bit younger than you would otherwise.  I don't slice them, just steam them whole 

I plant nastursham around the broad beans as well as pinching out when the black fly gather on them just pull up and dispose

I remove the tips as soon as they show it makes the plant bush out and keeps the majority of the flys at bay, then regularly spray with dish washing up water seems to do the trick