Harvesting
Crops are harvested from August to November, with the biggest crop in October.
Broad beans ripen from the base upwards, so check the lowest pods regularly as they begin to swell. Pick the pods at full size — above 15cm long and seeds the size of a five cent piece — before the skins become tough and leathery.
Pick before the tissue that joins the bean to the pod turns black.
The crop is mainly cross-pollinated and, if the activity of wild bees is low, introducing hives into the crop may increase yields.
Harvest in early morning and keep produce cool before marketing. Broad beans have a short storage life. Pack the pods in 22L or 36L plastic crates.
Acknowledgement
The original version of this material was authored by John Burt.