A “Heatwave” and Broad Bean Success

Friday was another hot day although there was more cloud about but the temperature still reached 29.7°C. With Thursday’s 30.2°C and an intervening night time low of 15.6°C we met the heatwave criteria for Yorkshire and Humberside. Although there’s much in the media about the heatwave continuing and for even hotter weather next week that isn't forecast for us as we are due some cooler weather but that much needed rain doesn't appear to be in the forecast.

If you read our blogs on a regular basis you will know that we have been using weed control fabric on the allotment to cut down on the amount of weeding Sue has to do. Last year we'd tested this out successfully on our carrot crop and this year one of our first crops for the fabric test was our early broad beans Witkeim Manita. 

The last of the beans were picked on Friday and they have produced a good crop without too much effort from us. We have done a little weeding around the edges of the fabric where the soil is used to hold things in place but that’s all. Perhaps because of the hot dry weather the beans haven't cropped over a long period but as they’re good for freezing that isn't too much of a problem. 

The harvesting details are shown above where the weight is for broad beans still in their pods as picked from the plants. If our Masterpiece Longpod and Crimson flowered varieties do as well we will have plenty of broad beans stored in the freezer.

This is the 5.84kg of beans picked on Friday. 

Once all the broad beans are picked the next decision to make will be whether or not to leave the fabric in place. It may well depend on whether or not we get some rain. If we do and this bed can be dug over which I may do before replacing the fabric and using the same holes in the fabric to grow a late crop of lettuce.

Copyright: Original post from A Gardener's Weather Diary http://ossettweather.blogspot.co.uk/ author M Garrett