Autumn cropping broad bean

One of the things I do is sign up to all the newsletters and let you know about anything really interesting that shows up. Sadly, there is rarely anything new. D T Brown are offering an Autumn Cropping Broad Bean, which is interesting, but you have to buy plants not seeds and it is NOT cheap! Below is an extract from their website:

"One of the joys of the summer vegetable garden, broad beans have a fresh and unique flavour, whether served hot as a vegetable side dish or warm in summer salads. Now you can enjoy tasty broad beans in autumn too! Luz de Otono is the ONLY autumn cropping variety. It’s a strong and vigorous grower producing long pods of beans which are packed full of flavour.

"Seed is hard to come by and we’ve only secured enough to grow as plants for this summer. Plants will be ready to despatch mid August, providing you with a delicious crop until October!"



DT Brown's price is 30 plants for £14.90 ("Buy two and get the third free") I don't call nearly 50p a plant a good price for broad beans, but maybe you could save your own seed? Or you could get a packet from Suttons for £3.75 - too late for this year, but maybe next season? Suttons say you sow them in May for a crop in November in 'mild areas' - rather a different version and proof that you have to be careful.