Fava Bean Seeds - Santa Isabel

Minimum Seeds per Packet: 20

Packet Weight: 14g

Planting Season: Fall or Early Spring

Sowing Method: Direct Seed

Seed Depth: 1"

Direct Seed Spacing: 6"

Soil Temperature: 45-70 ℉

Days to Sprout: 7-14

Mature Spacing: 6-8"

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Frost Tolerance: Frost Tolerant

Days to Harvest: 80

When to Seed Fava Beans

Fava beans are a cool weather crop that will not tolerate summer heat at all. It is important to time your plantings appropriately for your area. Northern growers will typically have no trouble getting a good crop of favas by planting as soon as the soil is workable in spring. Southern growers may have a harder time getting when planting in spring but should be able to plant in the fall and overwinter for a spring harvest. Fava beans germinate best in temperatures between 40 and 70 degrees. Once temperatures hit 80 degrees they will not set any seeds. Many varieties can even withstand temperatures down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit! 

Where to Plant  Fava Beans

Pick a spot with full sun and well draining soil. Many varieties will need trellissing or staking so keep this in mind when selecting a location. 

Growing  Fava Beans

Direct seed your fava beans one inch deep and six inches apart. Water very well until germination, but ensure you aren’t leaving standing water behind. One established, fava beans don’t typically need much attention. If needed, trellis them early before the vines get out of hand. Protect your favas from frost when necessary, if you’re expecting to reach very low temperatures. 

Harvesting  Fava Beans

Fava beans can be harvested at any size. The smaller pods can be cooked whole, while larger beans will require shelling. They’re delicious both ways! Mature beans can be eaten fresh or dried down for later use.

Fava beans (Vicia faba) are both self-pollinating and insect-pollinated. Isolation of 160 to 500 feet between different varieties of favas is recommended to prevent cross-pollination. Fava beans will not cross-pollinate with any other type of bean, since they are an entirely different species. To save seeds, grow the plants just as you would for eating, but allow the pods to fully mature and dry on the plant. Note: fava pods will turn black when mature, not brown like other beans. This is normal, not a sign of disease. Because their pods and seeds are so thick, fava beans can take a long time to fully dry down. If you live in a humid climate, you will likely need to harvest your seed crop before it is totally dry in the field, to avoid mold formation. In this case, shell the beans out and spread them on drying racks or newspaper to finish drying indoors. Once the seeds are completely dry, store them in an airtight container in a dark, dry, and cool location.