The Fava is King!

[karstopography]

I read the beans get made into falafel like chick peas.

So, let’s say seeds planted out in the garden in late October or early November, when might I expect bean pods?

[PlainJane]

I read the beans get made into falafel like chick peas.

So, let’s say seeds planted out in the garden in late October or early November, when might I expect bean pods?

If you don’t have too many freezes you should have something by March.

[karstopography]

Planted 27 fava beans on Friday. Have more to plant in the next week or two. Found an old thread on a local gardening related forum and Fava beans definitely grow here over the winter into early Spring. That old thread had the beans planted at the end of October and he was harvesting in March. He too raved about the fava beans for the flavor of the beans and the greens. I ordered a pound plus an additional 35 grams of seed so I’ll have plenty enough to plant!

[worth1]

I had no idea they grew in cool weather until I read up on them an hour or so ago.

[PlainJane]

@worth1, they are so good. Perfect alternate season crop to peppers for you.

[worth1]

@worth1, they are so good. Perfect alternate season crop to peppers for you.

I bought some dried and cooked them.
My wife hated them while I liked them.
For what ever reason I never bothered with them again.
Our tastes weren't exactly the same with some things.

[PlainJane]

I hunted down 2 new to me varieties of Fava beans so I can compare to the usual Windsor and Vroma.

“Frog Island Nation”
“Karmazyn”

Both from https://uprisingorganics.com/

(Also ordered a new bush bean “Tanya’s Pink Pod”.

Thought the $3 shipping was very reasonable too - lots of places are $4 or $5 for just seeds.

[karstopography]

Thanks for the tip. @PlainJane

I ordered those two fava bean varieties plus the “aquadulce”. Might as well give several fava beans a try, what do I have to lose?

Got me some pole beans too, Marvel of Venice and Trionfo Violetto. Threw in a pack of lettuce, arugula, and escarole. I’ve got 40 square feet of raised bed I want to plant in approximately two weeks and figure this seed order ought to do the trick. Pole beans will be saved for spring.

[Seven Bends]

I hunted down 2 new to me varieties of Fava beans so I can compare to the usual Windsor and Vroma.

“Frog Island Nation”
“Karmazyn”

Both from https://uprisingorganics.com/

(Also ordered a new bush bean “Tanya’s Pink Pod”.

Thought the $3 shipping was very reasonable too - lots of places are $4 or $5 for just seeds.

If you end up deciding you're happy with the seeds and the buying experience, would you want to add this vendor to the member's preferred vendors lists?

[PlainJane]

@Seven Bends Absolutely.

[worth1]

I totally forgot to get Fava beans the other day.
Just to see if i liked them or not anymore.
The Mexicans eat them as well.

[PlainJane]

For a brief few weeks in Spring they show up fresh in grocery stores but other than that I only see dry.
Fresh are 1000% better tasting.

[karstopography]

My Windsor Fava beans were mostly all up yesterday. I planted them on the Friday before so about eight days to germinate.

The other types haven’t come in yet. Looks like I won’t be able to plant them until November 11th at the earliest if they do arrive between now and then unless they come today or tomorrow.

@PlainJane what is the latest you’ve planted fava beans? Have you eaten the immature pods whole or do you wait until they fill out and with the beans inside mostly all grown, but still green?

Have you eaten the tender greens?

[GoDawgs]

Approximately, just how much cold can favas take?

I tried growing favas years ago and planted them at the wrong time it seems, like February. They didn't do well at all and I never tried them again. Thought about it now and then but never followed through. Now I'm wondering again for next fall since it seems it's getting a bit late for this fall.

[PlainJane]

@GoDawgs, they definitely don’t like extended heat.
I’m lucky in that I typically get only a couple of light frosts around 30 degrees over the winter and they’ve shrugged that off no problem. If you can cover them during your hard freezes they should be ok. I always put tomato cages around them just in case (and also they get a bit floppy toward the end.)
This year I’ve spaced out my sowing schedule a little better. The first planting I did 3 weeks ago should see harvest in early March.
Fava season will be over for me by mid-April or so. By then the focus is on tomatoes anyway.

I rank fresh fava beans right up there with cauliflower and peas as my fav cool season crops.

[karstopography]

Our zone 9b here is rated 25-30° as a typical low temperature to be expected in a typical year. Some years, we get zero to hardly any a sub-freezing night all winter. Occasionally once a decade or longer, like in 2021, we get into the teens. Cannot really plan a garden based on the outliers, though, that’s how I feel about it. No matter where anyone lives, there’s always the rare something or another that takes out the crop.

What I have read indicates fava beans can take the occasional night well into the 20s.

https://sfp.ucanr.edu/pubs/brochures/favabean/

The link says Fava beans grow best at between 70-80° which is higher than I expected.

[PlainJane]

Thanks @karstopography.
If my favas are still around past mid-April they get stressed looking as by then we have more days than not hitting 80.
They are thrilled in the 65-75 range.

[PlainJane]

I have 2 bags from planting #1 about 4-5 inches high. (Pictured)
Bag #3 from 10 days ago is about 1” high.
Bag #4 will be planted as soon as I get the new pink Fava seeds from Uprising Organics.

D7C65C24-1616-4E65-8DE0-AAFD9CD2190B.jpeg

[rossomendblot]

I really don't like the taste or texture of favas (we call them broad beans over here) but the flowers are great forage for bees in spring so I am growing some anyway. We grow field beans over winter as a green manure but also to harvest the tender tips which are nice in salads.

[karstopography]

I just ordered “Stereo” fava or broad beans. Couldn’t resist as they are said to have tender skins not needing peeling, plus the flowers are pure white. Then some chefs raved about this particular cultivar so I had to get them.

I promise to stop now with any additional orders of broad or fava beans.

BTW, I have read says that some types can go as low as 10° F. “Diana” is mentioned. https://gardenerspath.com/plants/vegeta ... ns/#Stereo