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
  • Broad bean flowering
  • Egyptian broad beans
  • Shelling broad beans
  • Young beans on plant
  • Young broad bean plant

It is a rigid, erect plant 0.5 - 1.7 m tall, with stout stems with a square cross-section. The leaves are 10 - 25 cm long, pinnate with 2 - 7 leaflets, and of a distinct glaucous grey-green color. Harvest 90 - 160 days depending on how cold the weather is.

In windy areas it is best to provide some support with posts and string, otherwise the plants will fall across each other. Pick the tops out once beans start setting to prevent blackfly.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Broad Beans

The fresh beans are eaten steamed or boiled. As the beans mature it is better to remove their tough outer skins after cooking.
The leafy top shoots of the adult plants can be picked and steamed after flowering.
Small beans can be eaten whole in the pods.
Broad beans will freeze well. Remove from pods and blanch.

Your comments and tips

09 Mar 10, Rob (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
@Lindsay, It's the roots that you plough back into the soil and that provides nitrogen(essential for foliage growth)
25 May 10, Paul (New Zealand - temperate climate)
How to prevent the plant falling down each other? "it is best to provide some support with posts and stringusing." I think the best way is to choose a proper time to sow. Sow in May or June rather than Mar or April. Because sow in winter, the plant grows slowly. During spring the plant will grow fast and strong that wouldn't fall.
15 Dec 10, Scott (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
We top our broad beans and that helps them bush out; besides the fleshy plant tips are great for steaming...I like them better than spinach!
18 Jul 10, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Roger, we just leave all the stems and although they tend to flop around a bit, they all produce plenty of beans.
24 Oct 17, Mitchell Calcott (New Zealand - temperate climate)
What are some innovative ways of selling them?
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.
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??
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.
16 Sep 18, Dez (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Yes bumble bees around everyday. maybe its a late season for Broad Beans?
14 Mar 19, jake (New Zealand - temperate climate)
These are our staple reliable crop in chch. great wizzed up raw to make felafel. i sow them at all times of the year into the roughest of ground in our heavy clay they even grow ok direct sown into the lawn or a developing area. they usually do better sown in late winter and i sow alot closer together.
Showing 1 - 10 of 28 comments

Yes bumble bees around everyday. maybe its a late season for Broad Beans?

- Dez

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put GardenGrow in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use GardenGrow and subscribe to the free GardenGrow planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About GardenGrow | Contact us | Privacy Policy

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. GardenGrow 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.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.