The Sutton
Broad Beans in the UK

You've got options with broad beans, which is nice. For an early crop, sow indoors in February or April. Pop 'em about 5 cm deep in modules or small pots, two seeds per cell, then thin to the strongest seedling. You can pick up plug plants from the garden centre too, saves a bit of faff. Or, for overwintering, sow direct outdoors in October or November, about 15-20 cm apart in rows, 5 cm deep. They're tough, these ones.

Once those indoor-sown seedlings are big enough, you'll want to harden them off for a week or two, then plant 'em out on the plot after the risk of frost has passed – that's mid to late May up here, earlier down south. Give 'em about 20 cm between plants and 60 cm between rows. The taller varieties will need a bit of support, a bit of string between stakes does the job nicely. You can grow the dwarf ones in big pots too, if you're short on space.