Broad beans come in two main types. The longpod types have up to 9 oblong beans in them. These are also the most hardy of the broad beans and should be your choice if you want to sow in autumn. This will produce an early crop.

The Windsor varieties have 4 to 6 round beans per pod. These are the tastiest broad beans and are best sown in the early spring.

Varieties of Broad Bean

Variety	Comments
Express	One of the best broad beans for sowing in early spring. This variety produces a good crop of tasty beans very early in the season They are available from Thompson and Morgan.
The Sutton (click to enlarge picture)	Our top choice of broad bean for sowing in the spring. They only reach about 45cm (18in) high making them very compact and require no support. They produce a huge amount of tasty beans for such small plants. Like all spring sown broad beans they will get attacked by black fly but this variety still produces a large crop. Get the freezer ready for this heavy-cropper! Available from Marshalls.
Imperial Green	These are suitable for an autumn sowing because they do not do well in warm conditions. They are available from Thompson and Morgan.
Aquadulce	The number one broad bean for sowing in the autumn. Absolutely hardy and produces a very tasty crop. Available from Nicky's Nursery.

HOW TO CARE FOR BROAD BEANS

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