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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03 Mar 19, mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
All organic matter is suitable to dig back into the soil. Anything that has lived - plant animal. But it needs time to decompose to be available to plants.
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28 Sep 18, Frank (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Planted broadbeans in late April, have lots of flowers but no pods, do I still wait or should I just work them in as it is getting time to plant for summer?
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03 Oct 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If you don't have beans by now - Oct, probably time to put out.
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16 Sep 18, Dez (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Yes bumble bees around everyday. maybe its a late season for Broad Beans?
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13 Sep 18, Dez (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I've had my BB planted since March/April. They have heaps of flowers on them but there's no beans appearing. Have seen plently of bees to germinate them but still nothing. any ideas on what's gone wrong - with it now being sept??
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14 Sep 18, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Dez, do you have bumble bees around ? They tend to shortcut the nectar gathering from BB flowers by piercing a hole though the back of the flower.
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01 Sep 18, warren (New Zealand - temperate climate)
ok i live near the sea in eastern southland my advice from very experenced gardeners in winton to plant broad beans very early august or before that.... i have always found that you can plant them later before xmas and obtain a good crop if you plant early in cold ground its not going to get there quicker . i dont think that the ground will be at 6 deg on the first day of spring What is your thoughts any how. another comment on blanching, then freezing all it will do is change the colour to a dull grey the fact is that it is going to be cooked any how, i stopped blanching ages ago.
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18 Jul 18, Donna (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, I am just starting out and was wanting peoples opinion on grow bags. Are they any good, worth purchasing etc.
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05 Sep 18, Simon Milsted (Australia - temperate climate)
I have just purchased some fabric type grow bags for my garden for a number of different uses. Some have been set up in wicking beds with dwarf fruit trees and some are for vegetables & flowers for attracting bees & insects. We rent so this means we can take them with us if we have to move.The fabric also allows for air pruning. I never liked pots as they dry out too quickly and the roots get into a mess but these seem to help that and the wicking beds allow for watering when you can't. Will see how they go!
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19 Jul 18, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
As far as I'm concerned a patch of soil in the back yard is the best to grow veges in. You can then use bags pots whatever. These need a lot more attention I believe - dry out quicker. You have to weigh up the costs involved with buying and then the soil etc. It then becomes whether you are doing it for the enjoyment of it or doing it cost effectively. I love growing veges but I also try and do it cost effectively. I want value for the money I spend.
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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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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.
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