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

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01 Mar 12, Marc (Australia - temperate climate)
What do I need to do to the soil where I m going to be planting my Broard beans is there any owpreperation I need to be doing I was going to be putting in sum orgain matter into the soil and also some other fertilizer I was just wondering when to know wen to pic them
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14 Nov 11, Kelvin (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have trouble with something eating into my broad beans. It leaves a black spot on the out side of the broad beans & also black on the inside as well.
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12 Oct 11, Tracey in Melbourne (Australia - temperate climate)
Are there still flowers on your plants? If it has finished flowering then you won't get any more beans.
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10 Oct 11, yvonne (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My broadbeans have yealded a good crop . Do I pull the plant out or do I leave it there to yeald again?
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27 Dec 11, (Australia - temperate climate)
leave a few pods on the bean plant until the plant shrivels and dies. Then collect the pods which will be black and shriveled and replant the seeds from these pods next year preferably in a different part of garden (for crop rotation)
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20 Sep 11, Steve (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi my broadbeans have startrd bearing beans the first ones are about 90 ml long but the new beans appear to be dying as soon as they start forming
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08 Sep 11, (Australia - temperate climate)
I had ants and plenty of flowers. I thought nothing was happening but be patient, every flower I thought was a no go has now produced a nice pod
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23 Jun 11, Karen Harris (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I live on the gold coast and have planted some beans, they have been growing very well, but today the leaves looked a bit sorry for themselves, we had a cold night last night, no frost, I think it went down to about 6 degrees. the soil was damp, so I have watered it again. Could this be the cold night's or something else? Any suggestions, this is my first time at planting, so far carrots, spring onions, Cos and capsicum are doing well. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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05 Jun 11, Paula (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I'm new to growing veggies. I planted broad beans in Mar/Apr - they've grown well and are tall and bushy, and have been flowering for a while....but no sign of any pods forming! (even where the flowers have died off) When can i expect to get beans? And is it possible the amount of ants on the plants is in some way preventing the beans from growing?
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07 Jun 11, (Australia - arid climate)
The ants are probably there feeding on honey-dew from blackfly. They won't be a problem in themselves. If the plants are at a flowering size then you can nip off the top leaves (and steam and eat them) as this will encourage the flowers to set.
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The nice thing about fava beans is you don't have to cook them -- and you don't have to shell them (if they are still young -- they are young enough to eat whole UP TO THE point where they have plumped up fully and the pod is NOT YET fibrous -- once the pods are fibrous the pods need to be discarded (keep the beans) because the fibrous pods are too difficult to digest and will cause lots of discomfort). OK -- so I use my young pods raw (entire pod -- and some leaves and stalk) to make a pesto. I use this pesto as a dip. I also chop up the full pod and use them in stews (Garnish with some leaves). I use the leaves and some stalk (chopped up) when I make scrabbled eggs -- adding the fava once the scrambled eggs are about 15 seconds from done -- in other words just incorporating them into the scrambled eggs and then removing from the pan. If your unsure about what I mean when I say fibrous -- if you where to put the full pod in a blender/chopper -- after you chop, look at the mixture -- if the pods where too fibrous you will see "MESH" yes "MESH" -- looks like pieces of wire mesh -- pick these out and discard these. I NEVER DOUBLE SHELL -- the beans are always good -- but may need to be softened up like any dried bean needs to be.

- Celeste Archer

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