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     P P      

(Best months for growing Broad Beans in New Zealand - cool/mountain 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

12 Feb 11, adam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Yep. Dipel's the go. You can get a,liquid form of Dipel which, for me, is easier to use. It's called SUCCESS. from Yates, and you use just 5ml in a litre. Just a thought.
10 Nov 10, John (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Broad beans are very hardy and will grow very well in clay and very poor soil and produce a very high yield if the soil is moist,drained ,and some compost has been dug in the soil before planting
09 Nov 10, Kusum (Australia - temperate climate)
I sow broad beans seedlings in early September. In October end I saw a couple of broad beans and after that the broad beans were getting black on the top and are not growing big. Also there are many flowers but could not see any more broad beans. Can you please advise what has happened and how can I protect my broad beans from further destruction?
16 Jun 18, bianca (Australia - temperate climate)
hello, from Sydney here. The reason is because you planted them late. They are a cool crop plant and as such need to be planted in Autumn or winter. I wouldnt plant after June, too late. I find the best time to sow seeds are May-June
28 Jun 11, Alan (Australia - temperate climate)
I find sowing BB's in June reduces the likelihood of brown or black spot. I'm in Tasmania. The beans germinate in approx 21 days do not grow a great deal but 'take off' in September and produce a wonderful crop. I pinch out the growing tips when plants are about a metre+ tall. They are good steamed.
01 Nov 10, Manuel (Australia - temperate climate)
1/11/2010 Hi, I started growing broad beans seeds in the first week of July and three to four weeks later they started to germinate. Towards the end of October the pods were starting to appear looking healthy and are ready to be picked in the first week of November. The plants with the pods on them are half to one meter in height.
23 Oct 10, Bob Hayward (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, my broad beans grow well initially but after the pods start to emerge the stems and pods start to blacken resulting in a withered plant. This decay seems to limited to the broad beans, other plants and weeds in the same area remain healthy. Any suggestions as to the cause and remedies.
10 Oct 10, Jan (Australia - temperate climate)
When do you know that Broad Beans are ready to pick? thanks Jan
13 Sep 10, Monsi (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, Frist time chance upon your site-very infomative, Thank You. I am a new gardener. My beans are looking healty and massive of flowers but they dried out. Shall I pinch the top new leaf to encourage growth of flowers into beans? Please help. Thanking you in advance and kind regards, Monsi
14 Mar 11, kennykoala (Australia - temperate climate)
yes pinch of tops you will find beans behind flowers
Showing 231 - 240 of 344 comments

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.

- warren

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