Broad beans gone black

Marygold

@nick615 I'd like to know about the rhubarb too. My broad beans were totally destroyed by black fly last year. Mind you, I did get 3 generations of ladybirds afterwards that then lived on my French and runner beans! Hope they're still around.

nick615

Hi to you both.  Sorry for the delay.  Because of the poisonous aspect of rhubarb leaves, some will advocate against it but all I do is boil some leaves, strain off the liquid, once cool it can be used in a normal household (cleaning fluid) spray to deal with aphids.  I've got a 1 litre container in the shed ready for 2023.  Those who don't like the idea will prefer not to mix it with food crops for fear of cross infection, but I'm happy to do so as infected pods/flowers are a long way from the edible beans which, after all, are thoroughly washed AND boiled before being eaten.

StephenSouthwest

nick615 said:

Hi to you both.  Sorry for the delay.  Because of the poisonous aspect of rhubarb leaves, some will advocate against it but all I do is boil some leaves, strain off the liquid, once cool it can be used in a normal household (cleaning fluid) spray to deal with aphids.  I've got a 1 litre container in the shed ready for 2023.  Those who don't like the idea will prefer not to mix it with food crops for fear of cross infection, but I'm happy to do so as infected pods/flowers are a long way from the edible beans which, after all, are thoroughly washed AND boiled before being eaten.

Thank you - looks like something I'll try - I guess you mean contamination?

nick615

Indeed.  I stand corrected.  It had been a long day.

kippsattacks

I've planted Bunyard beans in November in open ground. They look good. But they are from saved seeds.