Broad beans, also known as fava beans, are hardy legumes which are very easy to grow, growing in a variety of soils and climates. The broad bean plant doesn’t take up too much space and produces crops from May onwards. 

You can plant broad beans in spring and in autumn, and there are plenty of varieties of broad bean so you can find one that’ll perfectly suit your outdoor space. Read on to discover the intricacies of spring and autumn sowing.

Spring Sowing

Sowing indoors/Growing from seed

The earliest you can sow broad beans is in late February – preferably in small pots indoors somewhere (like in a greenhouse) for more reliable conditions and to avoid frost. Place each broad bean about 5cm deep into the soil, water well and make sure they are in a cool spot with enough light. 

They’ll be ready to plant out once the roots have filled their pots.

Sowing outdoors

If sowing from seed straight outside, the best time is towards the end of March. Sow with approximately 20cm between each plant/seed and remember to choose a spot that gets enough sunlight and has well-drained soil. 

You may also wish to protect your crop with frost protection in unpredictable weather conditions.

Autumn Sowing

Sow in November for an early harvest after the plants overwinter, but remember to protect your crop from potential frost with a cloche, grow tunnel or cold frame. 

Pick a more hardy variety of broad bean for autumn sowing, most longpods will do better in colder weather than others. While you can sow directly outdoors, it’s better to minimise losses by planting into pots first and waiting for them to be established (around 10cm tall) before planting out.

Caring for broad beans

Watering

Broad bean plants require regular watering throughout the growing season, especially in drier conditions. When in flower, broad beans need plenty of water to produce a good quality crop.

Supporting

While broad beans aren’t considered to be climbers, taller varieties of broad beans will need some extra support with canes and string/garden twine. You can also use other kinds of plant support, especially if in a windy spot, to prevent their stems from bending and breaking.

Maintenance

Gently remove any weeds as they appear, keeping the area clear. If planted with protection such as a cloche, it’s ideal to take this off in warm weather once the plant is established as broad beans benefit from being pollinated by insects, despite being self-pollinating.

Pests & Diseases

There are a few common pests and diseases to be wary of when growing broad beans:

• Blackfly/Aphids 
  • To help deter blackfly, pinch out the plant’s shoot tips as soon as flowers appear. If populations of aphids begin to appear, catch and remove them as they can severely stunt the growth of your plant.
• Mice
  • If you know or suspect you may have some mice visitors, plant your broad bean seeds inside so they can establish before being eaten by hungry mice. Placing under fleece covers during germination will also reduce the risk of mice or any other small creatures interfering.
• Pea/bean weevil
  • While these critters are a nuisance, they don’t cause severe damage, eating only the edges of leaves. Pick off any weevils you see.
• Chocolate Spot
  • A fungal infection which commonly occurs in broad bean plants that grow in wet/humid conditions and especially those which have overwintered. Ensure your plants are located in a space with enough air circulation, avoid over-watering and remove any nearby weeds. Infected plants should be removed and destroyed.

Harvesting broad beans

Broad beans can be harvested to be cooked and eaten whole (still in their pods) when immature, at around 7cm long.

You can also wait for them to grow to maturity (wait for the beans to begin peeking through the sides of the pod) and harvest them at this point before shelling them to cook and eat. The scar should be green/white on the edge of each bean – if this is brown or black the broad beans have become tough and won’t be very edible.

Best 4 Broad Bean Varieties to Grow in the UK

‘Aquadulce Claudia’ Broad Bean Plants 10 Plants By Plant Theory

A hardy broad bean plant good for overwintering/autumn sowing.

Price: £8.99

Dwarf Broad Bean ‘The Sutton’ Seeds Vicia Faba By Mr Fothergills

A dwarf plant, ideal for small gardens and container growing.

Price: £2.80

‘Masterpiece Green Longpod’ Broad Bean Seeds By Plant Theory

A high-yielding variety with up to 7 beans per pod!

Price: £2.99

Broad Bean ‘Bunyard’s Exhibition’ Seeds Vicia Faba By Mr Fothergills

High yields of delicious long pods with white beans, sweet and subtle.

Price: £2.80

Top 4 Broad Bean Planting Tips

1. Pods lower down the plant will ripen faster than the ones further up, so always check under the leaves towards the bottom of the plant for hiding beans! 
2. Sow a few extra broad bean seeds to move into any gaps from plants that fail to germinate. 
3. Some studies have found no link between nitrogen absorption and leaving legume roots in the ground for other plants to absorb, but others have documented that it’s possible in small quantities.
   
   If you’re able to, try leaving your plants/roots in the ground for as long as possible after harvesting. The roots of broad bean plants have beneficial nitrogen nodules which can be absorbed by the soil and other plants that you grow in this area the following year. 
4. It’s possible to get a second crop of broad beans if the summer has been good – just crop the plant down to around 20cm and wait for new growth. It’s also beneficial to feed the crop while it grows back with multi-purpose plant fertiliser. 

Grab your beans and start planting with Primrose

Harvesting Photo by Jessica Ruscello on Unsplash  

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