Growing Broad Beans, also Fava bean

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17 Apr 20 Meg (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
What does it mean in the description to pick the tops once the plants settle?
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28 Aug 21 Janet (Australia - temperate climate)
I was interested in this also. It might be a typo but they said "start setting" not "settle". I believe they mean when the pods begin to form ie to set pods. As for the blackfly, Wikipedia was no help. Sometime tiny black bugs appear on the soft new foliage at the top of my plants. I assumed they were aphids.
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02 Dec 21 Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
Most likely the bugs are aphids. Ants actually enslave or farm the aphids. The aphids are placed on the juiciest part of the fava bean plant by the ants; and the aphids suck the sap. The aphids then excrete honeydew which is what the ants are after. I generally just hose off (water spray) the aphids - I have also found an organically acceptable spray/pesticide to target the aphids; I try to limit the use of the spray opting for water. You should take action as soon as you see aphids.
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21 Apr 20 Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
At the top of the broad bean plants there is a growing point - a cluster of new leaves -. When your plants have reached about a metre high (or less for small varieties) , pick out that bunch of leaves. It helps to prevent black fly infestations and encourages the plant to produce more beans from side shoots.
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