Growing FAVA BEANS

Each year I try to plant something new in my garden.  Last year I planted Aduki black beans, dried them and placed them in tight containers.  It's wonderful to pull out the container and use the dried black beans in soups, chili, egg dishes, burritos and many other recipes.  As I live in the middle of the woods at leaset 10 miles from a grocery store it is great to have dried beans on hand.  I can't always make the trip to the store and I try to save on money spent on gas.

This year I planted a row of FAVA BEANs, Vicia faba, next to my pole green beans behind the rabbit fence.  We have frequent visits from our friendly rabbits.  They ate my green beans and lettuces last year so this year I put up a rabbit fence around all those delicious greens that they love to eat.  The FAVA BEAN, originating from central asia is a cool weather crop and prefers to be planted when temperatures are around 60 degrees Fahrenheit and can grow in temperatures as high as the 70's F.  I planted them several days ago when the temperatures were in the 40's F and now today we are expected to have temperatures in the 90's.  Oh well, gardening is always about letting go and trusting after you apply the scientific methods of gardening.



A little about the FAVA BEAN, often called the BROAD BEAN.  It is a busy plant that grows beautiful white flowers and can grow to heights of  3 to 4 1/2 feet so make sure you give it enough room in your garden to expand out and up.  You may have to trellis if they get really tall.  They have a creamy nutty flavor with pods growing six to eight inches long that contain seeds that can be white, green, yellow and even a pinkish red color.  They prefer slightly acid well-drained organic rich soil (6.0-6.8 pH) and really don't need extra fertilizer throughout the growing season as they produce nitrogen at the roots just as regular green beans do.  These nodules feed nitrogen to the soil...a self fertilizer in a sense.  Plant them an inch or two deep and four to six inches apart.  Be sure to water at planting time.  Don't  overwater during the growing season but just water when the soil is dry.  Mulching with straw or other organic materials is great to help keep weeds down and keep the moisture in the soil.




FAVA BEANS love growing near potatoes, cucumbers, corn, strawberries, celery but keep away from onions and garlic.

Harvest these beans when they are about the size of the pea for fresh eating or let them totally mature in the pod to dry them.  Once they are dry in the pod then you can harvest them.  Keep dried beans in a cool dry place.  I keep mine in tightly sealed containers and they last for a long time.  You can also can or freeze these beans.  A really versatile bean with high fiber and lots of nutrition.  Eat fresh or preserve for future meals.


Let us know how your FABA BEANS have done in your garden.  Any gardening tips are appreciated.  Any recipes that these great beans bring their nutty flavor to the dish, please share.

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