How to grow Broad bean

Vicia faba · fava bean

A hardy cool-season legume grown for its large seeds and young pods. It survives frost down to about −6 °C but crops poorly in summer heat.

Quick facts

Type	Vegetable
Family	Fabaceae
Light	Full sun
Soil pH	6–7.5
Frost	tolerates light frost
Soil for sowing	from 5 °C
Germination	10 days
Seedlings ready	28 days
Sowing to harvest	90 days
Where it grows	Greenhouse, Open ground

When to plant

Sow for seedlings about 5 weeks before planting out.

It tolerates light frost: plant out in open ground about three weeks before your last spring frost.

In an unheated greenhouse everything moves about three weeks earlier.

The first harvest comes about 90 days after the shoots appear.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

Greenhouse

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Seedlings	every 3 days	—	—
Growth	every 4 days	—	—
Flowering	every 4 days	—	—
Fruiting	every 3 days	—	—
Harvest	every 3 days	—	—

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Seedlings	every 7 days	—	—
Growth	every 7 days	—	—
Flowering	every 7 days	—	—
Fruiting	every 7 days	—	—
Harvest	every 7 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Needs full sun, at least 6 hours of direct light.

Soil

Well-drained loam or clay loam is best, though moist sandy soil also works; neutral to slightly acid soil, pH 6–7.5.

Care

Sow 5–7.5 cm deep and 15–23 cm apart in early spring, or in autumn in mild areas. Support tall varieties with stakes and string. Give a good soak as flowering starts and again two weeks later. Pinch out the tips once the lowest flowers have set small pods. No nitrogen feed is needed. Pick pods when they are green, glossy and well filled but the beans are still tender.

Pests and diseases of Broad bean

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.