Broad beans are brilliant to grow, easy and largely trouble free. The only problem you tend to get is blackfly, usually in early summer.
You can sow them now, in October, or later in the Spring. October sown broad beans cope with the harshest winters and produce a crop usually before the blackfly has had chance to get stuck in.
I still use the double row method, which is a row followed by another, slightly offset about 20 cm away, then a gap of about 50 cm before another double row. This way the beans support each other though they often need some support too, which is generally wires that run on the outside of the double rows.
The soil needs to be quite rich, don’t be tempted by the fact that beans can fix their own nitrogen from the air, they are never that good at it, and they prefer a rich soil. Soil left over from potatoes is good.
Winter broad beans need earthing up to add a little protection. You might find the beans germinate then stop growing altogether, but they will soon bounce back in the spring.
One more thing, don’t forget to protect them from hungry rabbits and mice, who just love them!
Broad beans
Nitrogen Fixation
You hear a lot about this in relation to legumes, beans and such. The roots have special nodules which contain bacteria that are able to take atmospheric nitrogen and turn it into nitrates for the plant.
Some people have mistakenly thought this process allows beans to grow in barren soils, or at least in soils with poor nutrients. Actually nothing could be further from the truth, especially when it comes to beans. They prefer a rich soil which had been manured for a previous crop, so for example, last year's potato bed would be ideal - not over rich with nutrients but certainly not in any way deficient.
Another mistake people make is to think that by growing beans they are enriching the soil. This is only true if you dig the roots into the soil - because that's where the nitrates are. If you pull them up when your crop is ended, you pull out the nutrients too.
Just enjoy the beans and compost the spent plants.
Pests and problems
Although they are generally easy to grow you can get some problems apart from blackfly - which you are more or less guaranteed to suffer from.
You can get Broad Bean Rust - which there is little treatment apart from cutting out.
Pea and bean weevil can attack your pods, which can be a pain, but you can remove offedning ones.
Watch out for really cold snaps which can damage the plants, although they are hardy to fairly low temperatures - cover them with fleece if you are having really cold weather.
The key to success with beans is good drainage and sufficient watering. They don't set fruit so well if they are under water stress - but that doesn't mean you need to drown them!