Broad beans (Fava Beans) and potatoes are very important for anyone seeking self-sustainability. Originally from the Middle East, Broad beans have been consumed for thousands of years in Mediterranean countries and their cultivation has spread to warm climate areas around the world. Lear more about how to grow broad beans.
They can be planted in a variety of climates and require little care, making them an excellent alternative to grow in our garden.
Table of Contents
Sowing Broad Beans
The broad bean plant can grow in almost any soil if compost is applied, but it prefers clay soils.
Beans do not like acidic soils, the ideal pH of the soil to plant it is 6.5.
If the winter is not too hard (only some small frosts), you can plant the broad beans in autumn and harvest in spring, but if the winter is hard (many touches of frost or constant snow) it is preferable to plant the broad beans very early in spring to harvest in late spring or early summer.
The broad beans are planted directly in the final garden or pot. It is recommended to leave the seeds soaking in water for 24 hours, to soften the seed and facilitate the exit of the small plant.
In the orchards, furrows are made, with a depth of 3.1″ (8 cm), these must be separated by 24″ (60 cm) and within the furrows, the seeds are separated by 6″ (15 cm). For the pot, it is enough to prepare a rich mixture of soil and compost and plant our seeds about 2.4″ (6 cm) deep.
Care Broad Beans
Broad beans need sun like all plants to grow, but they don’t like it too much, they prefer to have some shade in the daytime. On the other hand, the plant does not tolerate intense heat, the ideal is temperatures that do not exceed 68 °F (20 °C), that is why it is planted to harvest before the summer.
This plant does not need much water, just water it 2 or 3 times a week.
Harvest Broad Beans
The harvest can be done between 90 and 120 days after sowing, depending on the variety. The same plant can give us two or three harvests.
The apex (point of the plant) of the broad bean can be cut when it reaches the desired size, it is eaten and it is very tasty.
The broad bean pod can be eaten when it is tender or small and when it grows more, the beans or seeds must be removed to eat them.
If we let the pods dry, we can extract the dried beans and keep them as food for the winter. This food reserve is very important for the horticulturist or gardener because it is a source of protein for the winter.
