Sowing Seed Sowing SeedSowing Seed Sowing Seed

Runner Beans French Beans Dwarf/Climbing Broad Beans Peas/Mangetout

Crop Care Crop CareCrop Care Crop Care

Harvesting HarvestingHarvesting Harvesting

Sowing Time Sowing TimeSowing Time Sowing Time

l 18’’ k l 24’’ k l 9 ’’kl 15’’ kl 9 ’’k l6’’kl SEE ABOVE kl6’’k

Good for the next crop!

www.whitehallgardencentre.co.uk

A family business since 1894

WHITEHALLGarden Centres

Grow Your OwnBeans & Peas

*Runner Beans * Broad Beans*French Beans *Dwarf/Climbing

*Peas/Mangetout

Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN15 2LZTel: 01249 730204

Norton Lane, Whitchurch, Bristol BS14 OBTTel 01275 832296

www.whitehallgardencentre.co.uk

Sowing SeedFor best results apply a balanced fertiliser,such as Growmore or fish blood and bone,about 1 week before sowing.

Sowing SeedChoose an open spot, which has not grownpeas for 2 seasons. Apply a light dressing ofGrowmore fish blood and bone 7-10 daysbefore sowing.

Sowing SeedPrepare soil in winter or early spring. Dig atrench 18” wide and fork in compost beforereplacing soil. Apply a general organic fertiliser7-10 days before sowing e.g. poultry pellets,fish blood and bone, liquid feed occasionallyduring the cropping season.

Sowing SeedFrench Beans will succeed in most soils butthey hate heavy clay. For best results apply abalanced fertiliser 7-10 days prior to sowing.Protect seedlings from slugs.

Runner Beans French Beans Dwarf/Climbing Broad Beans Peas/Mangetout

Crop CareHoe regularly, to reduce weeds and water indry weather. Support will be necessary for tallvarieties. Pinch off the top 3” as soon as thefirst beans start to form. This will ensure anearlier harvest and also provide some degreeof blackfly control. Spray if blackfly persist.

Crop CareProtect rows from birds with netting or lines ofblack cotton before the seeds germinate. Hoe regularly and water during dry spells.When seedlings are 3” high, insert twiggybranches to provide support to stems. Do not delay this operation or slug damagemay occur. Medium and tall varieties will needthe extra support of a screen of netting next toeach row.

Crop CareUse 8ft supporting canes, poles or netting.Loosely tie young plants to the supports, sothey can climb naturally. Protect from slugs.Hoe regularly and water well in dry weather –mulching will help to conserve moisture.When plants reach the top of the growingsupports remove the growing points.

Crop CareHoe regularly to keep weeds down during theearly stages of the crops life. Support plantswith short twigs or pea sticks to prevent themfrom toppling over. Use twiggy branches orplastic netting for the climbing varieties. Water well if weather turns dry during or afterthe flowering period. Mulch around the stemsin June. Once the pods have been harvested,apply a liquid feed so that a second crop canbe obtained.

HarvestingPick when first pods are 2-3” long.When cropping has finished, dig plants into soilto provide a valuable green manure.

HarvestingA pod is ready for picking when it is well filled,but while there is still air space. Harvest peasfrom the bottom of the stem working upwards.

HarvestingPick regularly once the pods have reached adecent size 6-8”, but before the beans insidehave started to swell. If you remove the podsas soon as they reach this stage, thenharvesting should continue for at least 8weeks.

HarvestingBegin picking when the pods are 4” long. A pod is ready if it snaps easily when bent andbefore the telltale bulges of maturity appearalong its length. Pick several times a week toprevent pods maturing. Cropping should go onfor 5-7 weeks.

Sowing TimeSow from November to March.

Sowing TimeSow from mid-March onwards.

Sowing TimeSow in May.

Sowing Time April-May.

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After harvesting, cut off the stems at soil level. leave the roots in the ground, the roots release nitrogen into the soil - Good for the next crop!