Daily gardening tip · Northern hemisphere · Monday 26 October 2026 · mid autumn
Sow Broad Beans Now for an Early Spring Crop
Sowing hardy broad beans in autumn gives you a head start on next year's harvest.
20 minuteseasyseeds sowing
Choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil.
Clear away weeds and rake the soil surface level.
Make a straight trench five centimetres deep using a trowel.
Place seeds twenty centimetres apart along the trench.
Cover the seeds with soil and gently firm it down with your hands.
Water the area well using a watering can.
Why it works
Hardy broad bean varieties can survive cold winter weather as young plants. Getting their roots established in autumn allows them to grow rapidly in early spring, producing pod-filled plants weeks before spring-sown crops.
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