Broad beans will produce a good crop that can be picked and used towards the end of the cooler months. Pods will be ready for harvesting between 90 and 160 days after the seedlings have been planted out, depending on how cold the temperatures have been.
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Plants produce a strong, erect stem between 0.5 and 1.7 metres in height. Stems have a square cross-section.
Leaves are a long, pinnate in form with between 2 and 7 leaflets and are glaucous grey-green in colour. Because of the thickness of the main stems, and the fact that these plants grow during the months when we traditionally experience strong winds, support for the plants will prevent them being damaged or snapping off. String that has been stretched between posts will be suitable.
Once the plants have flowered and pods have begun to set, picking out the tops of the plants will prevent damage from blackfly.
As with most vegetables, regular harvesting will ensure an extended harvesting period.
Broad beans can be eaten steamed or boiled. However, young, tender beans can be eaten whole, in the pod, if they are picked early enough. In addition to eating the actual beans, the leafy top shoots of the adult plants can be picked and steamed after flowering has occurred.
Excess beans are suitable to freeze. The beans should be removed from the pods and blanched.
PRUNING TIME
The most recognised time to prune roses is mid to late winter, depending on weather conditions and location.
By pruning at this time, the tender, new shoots should avoid being hit by late frosts.
Hybrid Tea or Bush Roses
There are many books and Internet sites to show you how to prune your roses, but often the best way is to keep it simple.
Firstly, have a look at your rose bush and prune out any dead wood or diseased shoots that you can see. Then clean and disinfect your secateurs, trying to avoid transferring any diseases. Wiping the blades with a solution of bleach will disinfect them.
Next, cut off the older, greyish stems close to the butt and also remove any shoots that are thin and weak.
Leave any purple and green newer shoots and remove any suckers that have appeared from below the graft area of the plant.
Thin out the remainder of the branches, leaving three or four healthy shoots, and shorten them to 50-70cm, depending on the size of the plant, and its growth habits.
It is better not to cut too short and prune again later, maybe in early summer, rather than being too severe the first time.
In European and Asian countries, the roses are pruned almost to the ground, because of the very severe winters, but they are also mulched heavily to minimize damage from the extremes of cold.
The main idea of pruning is to keep the centre of the bush open, allowing air to circulate, with the branches spreading out from the centre.
Carpet Roses
These roses should have an all-over prune to approximately 30cm in height and width, removing any dead and weak growth.
Climbing Roses
This type of rose bush is pruned at a different time from other roses. They should have a major prune after they have finished their spring flowering. If they are pruned hard during winter, the spring flowers will be removed.
A light trim back to old, spent flower heads, 20-30 cm from the main limbs is recommended.
Avoid shortening any of the new growth, as these branches should be trained to form the basis of the plant’s shape, replacing older and less productive branches. In winter, these plants only need a light trim.
Many rose growers like to spray their plants with lime sulphur after they have been pruned, and while they are leafless. This will assist in killing off any scale and other insects that sometimes live in and around the bark.
Whatever expertise you have with the pruning of roses, the bushes will survive even the worst prune.
AZALEAS
Azalea plants add areas of bright colour to winter and early spring gardens. However, weather conditions similar to those being experienced now are ideal for the development of petal blight in azalea plants.
Frequent rainfalls and misty weather that coincide with the plant’s flowering time cause a fungal disease that forms small spots on the flower buds. The spots appear similar to damage caused by the flowers being soaked with water.
Within several days the flowers become limp and slimy, and then turn light brown. The damaged flowers often become stuck to the foliage, where they remain for many weeks.
Azalea petal blight survives in diseased flowers remaining from the previous season or in leaf litter on the soil’s surface under the plant. Just prior to flowering time, spores of the fungus are released.
Control of petal blight includes the removal of diseased flowers remaining from the previous season, as well as removing leaf litter from under affected plants.
If spots have not yet appeared on the new flowers, an application of fungicide will give protection to the flowers.
However, it must be applied prior to the flower buds starting to open, before the colour has become evident. A second application of fungicide to the plant in a fortnight will assist to control the disease.