Broad beans; when to harvest the edible flowers, leaves and beans.

Broad beans (Vicia faba) are grown over winter in Victoria, producing edible flowers and leaves in the cold months when many vegetables cannot be grown, before setting the beans pods in warmer weather, when bees become active .
The broad bean plants are supported by a sturdy wire trellis on one side, and on the other side by soft cord tied around timber stakes.
The edible flowers are one of Karen's favourites in the winter kitchen on frittata's and can also be snacked on. The green leaves can be picked and added to salads or stir-fried.
When the weather is warm enough for bees to pollinate the flowers, Karen stops harvesting the flowers and leaves them to develop into bean pods.
After the bean crop has finished the plants can be used as mulch or composted adding valuable nitrogen back into the soil. The beans are a valuable plant fixing nitrogen into the soil as they grow.

Out-take at 3.30 min where the Australian meat ants defend their broad beans from Karen. Note; the ants are travelling on their well developed pathways from the beans to their nest more than 100m away. As the flowers finish up at the end of spring the meat ants loose interest in the broad beans (thank goodness).