Vicia Species, Broad Bean, English Bean, Faba Bean, Fava Bean, Windsor Bean

An ancient food and fodder crop, probably from the Mediterranean originally although remains of the broad bean have been found in Egyptia...Read Moren tombs and prehistoric sites all over Europe. It was a valuable crop and is still widely eaten in many parts of the world today.

If you've tried shop bought beans (some places call them Fava or Faba beans) and didn't like them, grow some at home and try them just after harvest, they taste much better!

It has many uses in many countries and is often divided into subspecies according to country and use. Technically its not even a bean.

Has fleshy, glaucous, mid green/greyish, ovate and lanceolate leaves borne on square sectioned stems. Bears typically pea like, white flowers with black/purple blotches usually in the centre of the flower. The flowers are very scented and attractive to early nectar seekers. The oval or kidney shaped beans are in flattish, leathery pods.

Flowers April-May although it depends much on when you plant the seeds.

Will grow in any soil as long as it isn't too acid or waterlogged. Prepare beds over winter with well rotted manure or compost.

Sow from February-end May, there are varieties which can be sown in November but the plant isn't very hardy and the crop will suffer in harsh winters. Protect seedlings from hard frosts. Sow monthly from March - May for a successive crop.

Make double trenches, 2 inch deep and 2ft between every set of double trench, the 2 trenches in the double should be about 8-10 inches apart.

Broad beans have dwarf (12-18 inch tall) and standard varieties (upto 4ft) so staking may be required for the standard varieties.

Water when the flowers appear and if dry water well when the pods form.

Harvest spring sown crops at about 14-18 weeks from sowing, small pods (3 inches long) for cooking whole or pick when the bean shape appears in the pod walls. On the bean there will be a small scar which should be white/greenish, if it is darker it is well past its best. The beans will need to be shelled at this stage for cooking.

The crop doesn't keep well so use up harvested beans within a week or freeze them for later use.

Blackfly is a major pest on broad beans and will ruin a crop, to prevent this, sow as early as possible and pinch out 3 inches of top growth as the pods form. This will also ensure an earlier crop.

Beetles can burrow into the beans, don't sow or eat any beans with holes in.

Botrytis can also be a big problem pick and burn any infected pods to prevent spread.

Worthy a mention outside of the normal broad bean because it was saved from extinction by the Henry Doubleday Research Association's Heri...Read Moretage Seed Library. Just 4 seeds were rescued from a crop and sent to the HSL for propagation. Its been very popular ever since, its one of a long list of delisted heritage vegetables in the EU.

Produces a small crop but is also a good early flowering plant. Sow and grow as Broad Bean.