How to Grow Fava Beans in Spring

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We learned how to grow fava beans in Spring in our preschool garden, and we instantly fell in love. They are easy to grow, even for a beginning gardener.

Fava beans, also known as broad beans, are a cool-season crop packed with nutrition and garden benefits. They enrich the soil with nitrogen and produce plump pods filled with protein-rich beans. If you harvest and cook them fresh, they have a tender, buttery texture unlike anything else I have tried. I will always attempt to grow them in my garden!

The plants are really pretty and smell good when you brush past them. They have gorgeous flowers. They are easy to grow. But you have to grow them in the cool season. In Oklahoma, you plant them in the winter. They don’t survive the heat.

What Are Fava Beans?

We learned about fresh fava beans from studying British heritage. We planted foods from England in our garden, and fava beans were among them. They were our favorite!

If you’re gardening in spring, fava beans are a great early crop to plant. Let’s walk through everything you need to know about growing fava beans in spring, from planting to harvest.

Fava beans (Vicia faba) are one of the oldest cultivated plants, dating back to ancient times. They are not true beans like green beans or kidney beans, but are part of the legume family. Unlike many other beans, fava beans thrive in cooler temperatures and can be planted early in the season. They grow on upright plants that can reach 2 to 4 feet tall and produce thick, leathery pods with 4 to 8 large seeds inside.

Why Grow Fava Beans in the Spring?

Fava beans are ideal for early spring gardening. They germinate well in cool soil (as low as 40°F) and can withstand light frosts, making them perfect for zones where summers heat up quickly. Spring planting gives the plants enough time to grow before summer temperatures stress them. Besides being a great source of protein, fiber, and folate, fava beans fix nitrogen in the soil, making them a beneficial companion plant for crops that follow.

When to Plant Fava Beans

Timing is everything with fava beans. For a spring harvest, plant fava beans as soon as the soil can be worked. This is often 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date. In mild climates, some gardeners plant them in late fall for a spring harvest, but in areas with cold winters and frozen ground, early spring is best.

Check your soil temperature, fava beans germinate best between 40°F and 75°F. If the soil is too cold and wet, the seeds might rot. Wait until the soil is workable and not soggy before planting.

For more information on when to plant each crop, check out this Month by Month Vegetable Garden Planting Guide.

Choosing the Right Variety

There are several varieties of fava beans to choose from, depending on your space and culinary preferences. Some common varieties include:

• Aquadulce: Known for early maturity and large pods.
• Windsor: Popular and widely available, producing large beans and compact plants.
• Sweet Lorane: A small-seeded variety that is excellent for cover cropping and nitrogen fixation.
• Extra Precoce A Grano Violetto: An Italian heirloom with beautiful purple-tinged pods.

Choose a variety based on your climate and whether you’re growing for food, cover crop benefits, or both.

Preparing the Soil

Fava beans prefer well-drained, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. While they can tolerate average soils, they do best in soil enriched with compost or aged manure. Since they fix their own nitrogen, you don’t need to add nitrogen-rich fertilizers. Avoid overly rich soils or high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can cause excessive leaf growth at the expense of pods.

Before planting, loosen the soil to at least 6 inches deep. Remove any large rocks and break up clumps. Mixing in compost or aged organic matter will improve the soil structure and fertility.

✔Here’s a link to a great vegetable garden planner you can print right out and use at home! So cute!

How to Plant Fava Beans

Fava beans are typically direct sown in the garden. Here’s how to plant them:

• Soak seeds for 12–24 hours before planting to speed up germination.
• Sow seeds 1 to 2 inches deep and about 4 to 6 inches apart.
• Space rows 18 to 24 inches apart to give the plants room to grow upright.
• Water the soil well after planting, but don’t let it become soggy.

If you’re planting in containers or raised beds, make sure your container is deep enough (at least 10–12 inches) to accommodate their roots.

Caring for Fava Bean Plants

Once your fava beans are in the ground, they require minimal care compared to other garden vegetables. Here are the key care steps:

• Watering: Fava beans need consistent moisture, especially during flowering and pod formation. Water deeply once or twice a week depending on rainfall, but avoid waterlogging.
• Support: As the plants grow, they may need staking or a simple trellis to stay upright, especially in windy areas.
• Weeding: Keep the area around your plants weed-free, especially while the plants are young. Mulching can help suppress weeds and retain moisture.
• Fertilizing: Fava beans don’t require fertilizer if your soil is rich in organic matter. Avoid nitrogen-rich fertilizers, which can reduce flowering and pod production.
• Pest Control: Watch for aphids, which are the most common pest. You can control them with a strong spray of water, neem oil, or insecticidal soap. Birds may also peck at the seeds or young shoots, so consider using row covers if this is a problem.

Flowering and Pollination

Fava beans produce beautiful white flowers with black markings that resemble little orchids. These flowers are self-pollinating, but bees and other insects can help improve yields. The more flowers that get pollinated, the more beans you’ll harvest.

If you want to read the full story of how we got started growing our own food at Little Sprouts and get all the basics to start yourself, check this out. The Journey of the Little Sprouts: A Guide for Growing a Better Tomorrow.

Harvesting Fava Beans

Fava beans are ready to harvest about 75 to 90 days after planting, depending on the variety and growing conditions. Harvesting can be done in stages:

• Young pods: Pick early pods when they are 3 to 5 inches long and still soft if you want to eat the entire pod, like a snap bean.
• Mature beans: For fresh shell beans, wait until the pods are fully developed but still green and pliable. Shell the beans out and cook them like lima beans.
• Dry beans: If you want to save the beans for storage, let the pods mature on the plant until they turn brown and dry out. Then shell and store the beans in a cool, dry place.

Fava beans have a tough outer skin around the seed that can be removed after blanching if you prefer a smoother texture.

Saving Seeds for Next Year

Fava beans are easy to save for planting again. Choose the healthiest plants and let the pods mature and dry on the plant. Once the beans are dry and hard, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Make sure they are completely dry to prevent mold or rot during storage.

Using Fava Beans in the Kitchen

Fava beans are incredibly versatile in the kitchen. They can be boiled, sautéed, mashed, or used in soups, stews, dips, and salads. Fresh beans are best eaten shortly after harvest, while dried beans can be stored for months and rehydrated as needed.

Here are some popular ways to enjoy fava beans:

• Sautéed with garlic and olive oil (I definitely recommend!)
• Pureed into a hummus-style dip
• Mixed into grain salads or pasta
• Stirred into soups or stews for added protein
• Roasted for a crunchy snack

Fava Beans as a Cover Crop

Even if you’re not interested in harvesting the beans, fava plants make an excellent cover crop. They add biomass to the soil, break up compacted earth with their roots, and improve soil nitrogen levels through a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia bacteria. Simply chop the plants down before they flower and turn them under to enrich your soil naturally.

Growing fava beans in spring is a smart choice for both beginner and seasoned gardeners. They’re easy to grow, tolerate cool temperatures, and reward you with nutritious, flavorful beans. Whether you’re planting for the kitchen or the soil, fava beans are a fantastic addition to any spring garden. With just a little effort and some early planting, you’ll be harvesting a delicious spring crop that benefits your garden all season long.