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Planting Guide – Starting Fava Beans from Seed

By Mavis Butterfield on February 28, 2017 · 2 Comments
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Yesterday I planted some Windsor Fava Beans. Fava beans are not only fun to say, they are pretty tasty to eat. And easy to grow.

I like to plant a little Swiss chard and kale plants near my fava for aesthetic reasons. Fava bean plants can get as high as 4 feet tall, so I think the fava bean, kale and Swiss chard combo will look pretty cool once everything is at the peak of its growing season.

If you have never grown fava beans before, here is how it’s done:

Brief description: Fava Beans are also known as Broad Beans, Field Beans or Windsor Beans.  The beans are sweet, sized like a lima bean, and best when harvested and grown in early spring.

Where to Plant Fava Beans:  Fava Beans are a cool season plant.  They can be planted in garden beds, raised beds and containers.

Planting Seeds:   Seeds should be soaked for 12-24 hours before sowing {unless you live in Seattle where it rains every freakin’ day}.  Then sow seeds 1″ deep.  When seedlings are 1″ tall, thin to 1 bean every 4″-6″.

Growing Tips:  Plant in a full sun area.  Plants do best when temperatures do not get above 60-65 degrees.  Fava Beans do not need fertilizing, so long as they are planted in quality soil.  They like well drained soil and should be watered just before the soil completely dries out.  Do not over water, though.

fava beans
{photo credit}

How to Harvest:   Fava Beans have different harvest times depending on how you plant on using them.  When harvested young, the entire pod can be eaten.  In the middle, they are best shelled and cooked, and finally, you can wait until the shell turns hard and brown  to store the beans dry.  To harvest, pick as you would a snap bean.

I think I’m going to do a little of both this year, eat some fresh, and also dry some beans to use later this winter in soups.

Here are a few Fava Bean recipes to try:

Arugala and fava beans Crostini
Arugula and Fava Bean Crostini

grilled rainbow chard with fava beans and oregano
Grilled Rainbow Chard with Fava Beans and Oregano

Random Facts That Will Impress No One:

Did you know that there is a small population with a genetic condition called Favism?  People who have the conditions should not consume Fava Beans.  Who knew?!

Fava beans are one of the oldest crops known on record! There were some archeological remains found in Israel that showed they came from the Neolithic period. That’s 6800-6500 BC! There were even Fava beans found in the tombs of Egyptian rulers. Wowzas.

The fava bean was very popular in ancient Greece, but Greek philosopher Pythagoras believed that fava bean contained souls of dead people. So he and all of his followers started excluded fava beans from their diet.

Now go get your fava on! Anyone can do it! Dirt + Seeds+ Water = Food!

~Mavis

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Comments

  1. Phyllis Pugnetti says

    February 28, 2017 at 11:55 am

    Mavis,
    I’ve never grown or tasted fava beans. We live in E. Washington in the hot dry climate, where it goes from cold weather to hot very quickly. What is the average daytime and nighttime temps when you planted the bean seeds? And roughly, about how many days will it be until harvest at the shelling bean size? Just wondering if anyone has suggestions for growing this bean on the other side of the mountains. Thanks!

    Reply
  2. mandy says

    March 1, 2017 at 1:31 am

    I planted mine earlier here in Chico Ca. I did 3 batches, the first batch have flowers at the moment, the others are in different stages of growth. I usually wait untill Jan – early Feb to plant, but this year is an experiment. In this area they get black aphids really bad as the beans form and grow. I’m hoping that planting them earlier may ward off that problem. We shall see. The last couple of years I spent many hours, each day just washing those darn bugs off each plant and pod they were on.
    We started out roasting and bbqing them with oil and basalmic. Quite good. Then realized our favorite way to eat them is raw with sliced pecorino or parmesan cheese. Quite an easy and fun supper. Just put a pile of beans in the center of the table and everyone gets to shell their own and eat with bits of cheese.

    Reply

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