Broad Bean Bunyard's Exhibition (Vicia faba) is an English Heritage variety dating back to 1884. It is a reliable performer on most soils and produces heavy crops of long pods containing an average of 6 to 8 beans per pod. This variety has an excellent flavour and is ideal for freezing.

Broad Bean Bunyard's Exhibition grows to a height of 120cm and produces lovely white flowers with painted purple/black lips on the base petals and black veining on the upper ones. It looks lovely with other plants trailed through it like Sweet Peas or Nasturtiums and this attracts bees etc to pollinate the nearby beans too.

Broad Beans are back in fashion cooked, mashed with garlic & served on a thin French toast with a drizzle of olive oil is delicious & a real taste of summer.

Try companion planting with Summer Savory to keep the aphids away.

Top Tip
If you want to boost your harvests then intersow with Birdsfoot Trefoil...why?
Read our blog HERE for further information.

Broad Bean Bunyard's Exhibition Vegetable Seed Information

Seed Quantity:	Approx 30 seeds per pack.
Site:	Any, although rich free draining soil is best.
When to Sow:	February-April
How to Sow:	Direct sow under cloches in February or without protection from March. Can also be sown under cloches in the autumn for early crops the following year. Prepare soil with well rotted manure or compost. Sow in double rows set 25cm apart and allowing 60cm between each double row or single rows 45cm apart. Sow beans 5cm deep and 25cm apart. Water well. Germination takes 10-14 days.
Care:	They will need support so build a frame using bamboo canes and netting, and as the beans grow twine them through the netting. When the first beans begin to form, pinch out the top 8cm to encourage the plants energy into forming more pods. This also helps to discourage black-fly who love the tender shoots. Make sure crops are well-watered through out the season. It pays to protect the crop with cloches or similar protection in very cold periods.
Harvest:	Late May to end July. Harvest pods once beans have begun to visibly swell inside. Harvest plant in stages, starting with the lowest pods first. Small beans are sweeter and more tender than large ones. Pods can be picked when immature to be cooked and eaten whole.

When to Sow Broad Bean Bunyard's Exhibition Vegetable Seeds

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec