Growing Broad Beans, also Fava bean

Vicia faba : Fabaceae / the pea or legume family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
              P P      

(Best months for growing Broad Beans in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 43°F and 75°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 6 - 10 inches apart
  • Harvest in 12-22 weeks. Pick frequently to encourage more pods.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dill, Potatoes

Your comments and tips

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for USA | for all countries
30 Apr 14, Emma (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I planted a crop of broad beans 10 days ago and there are no shoots and some of the seeds have just somehow come to the surface without taking. There was a few days of very heavy rainfall after I planted them. If they do not come up in the next few days should I plant another crop?
Reply or Post a new comment
01 May 14, Travis Edwards (Australia - temperate climate)
poke them back in and wait another week or so if none have popped replant. I recommend a variety called gippsland giant they have great flavour and grow well in temperate climates!
Reply or Post a new comment
28 Apr 14, Robert Wilcox (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, is it ok to plant dwarf beans or scarlet runner this time of year ( April). Kind regs, Bob W.
Reply or Post a new comment
01 May 14, Travis Edwards (Australia - temperate climate)
NO they will not grow well through winter plant broad beans now and your others come spring when no chance of frost.
Reply or Post a new comment
02 Apr 14, Samir Elchami (Australia - temperate climate)
Is the manure good for broad beans or what is the best fertilizer
Reply or Post a new comment
08 Mar 14, Maria Parlevliet (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Will broad beans grow in a sub-tropical climate and if so when should they be planted
Reply or Post a new comment
26 Dec 13, Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
This year I've had a fairly good crop of broad beans (Fava beans) in my small back yard. I left them to grow wild with grass and weeds growing around because it is impossible to eradicate them, especially if the beans are often watered during dry spells, and weedicide is not an option. Each stem had at least from 6 to eight pods of about 6 inches long or smaller. Maybe it is a smaller type of broad beans but quite delicious. I have had no problems with pests, mainly the white butterflies who roster on the plants in the evenings, but I did notice extensive brown powdery colour on their leaves. Not intending to spray the plants, I hosed most of it off the leaves but the damage had already been done to the leaves, however, the plants seemed to cope will with what looks like brown fungal residue. I planted my broad beans early October and they have grown well. I planted another patch near if and now are 5 inches (15cm) high. Looks like I will get another crop on late February provided they get water and or rain. There has been no snail damage whatsoever, as I keep these pests in check with snail pellets around the perimeter of the crop. I have also noticed a number of Ladybugs on the broad beans leaves. I let them stay as these beautiful insects monitor the plants for suspected pest activities such as Aphids, etc.
Reply or Post a new comment
08 Nov 13, Bob smith (Australia - temperate climate)
My beans have stopped growing.... Why?
Reply or Post a new comment
02 Mar 14, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Bob, Your beans are probably given up due to the heat. Broad beans grow better in the cooler weather in subtropical areas.
Reply or Post a new comment
25 Oct 13, Carol (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted my broad beans around our fruit trees which are netted to keep the kangaroos and deer away from them and I have a great crop. Have now planted tomatoes in early October under the broad beans as I figured they would be protected from the elements and warm and they are doing well. Just read on this site not to dig the broadbeans out but cut them off and leave the roots there as they will be beneficial to the soil, I will use the rest of the plants in my compost. So thank you.
Reply or Post a new comment
Showing 81 - 90 of 268 comments
See comments for all plants

Let's start with the germination temperature: 7c to 18c is the ideal germination temperature for FB, further the temperature needs to be sustained (over 5 or more days). So it needs to be warmish for the seeds to germinate. They will however happily reside in the soil until those temperatures are met (within reason- excess moisture causing rot etc.). The growing temperature for fava beans is between 4c and 24c. The kill temperature is -4c to -10c depending on the variety. What happens between the kill temperature and the grow temperature is a "waiting/holding" time (the plant is alive, but is sort of in limbo until the temperature is good enough again to grow). Above 24c the plant is starting to experience heat related symptoms and again is just holding on (unless the temps get to hot and kill the plant). You need to think about temperatures - what temps do you expect over the next month ? Based on the temperatures, do you think you seeds will germinate ? Then think about the grow temperatures -- if the seeds sprout will they be able to grow ? Generally if you want to grow fava beans in winter you plant them in late summer - so they germinate and grow enough BEFORE the cold weather -- during the cold weather (provided your are does not get too cold) the beans will be able to stay alive and grow a slight bit -- so you can harvest greens during winter and some beans -- then spring comes and the fava plants put forth LOTS of beans and then die. That is to say, the fava bean plant does not grow very much in cold weather and I find that typical of most plants that I want to over winter. They need to have a head start in decent weather and then they kind of SLOWLY inch their way to the finish line. Over wintering is a means of keeping the produce fresh - think of it this way - if you had produce in the fridge it is no longer growing, in fact it is in the process of dying, losing valuable nutrients daily. If you have a plant in the winter ground (that can handle overwintering), it is alive, GROWING REALLY REALLY slow, but it is alive and NOT losing nutrients. I guess what I'm trying to say is, super performance is generally not required, or expected, we are just looking to hold nutrients when we over winter. Clearly some plants are better for overwinter than others - in my area FAVA BEANS are a good choice.

- Celeste Archer

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.