How to Grow Broad Beans (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Broad bean, also known as Vicia faba, is actually a vetch (Vicia sativa L.), a type of legume that has its roots in West Asia. It is a plant that loves cool weather and full sun, can grow in a variety of climates and is an excellent source of protein as well as vitamins A, C and B. Delicious and high in fiber, it is definitely worth the effort. grow it in the garden. You can learn how to plant it, care for it and harvest it. For more information, see the steps below.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Sow the Broad Beans

Step 1. Choose a variety of beans to try

Broad beans come in different varieties, some more suitable than others depending on the space you have available. If you want to grow broad beans in a small kitchen garden or in a large extension next to the house, you will surely find the right plant for the space you have available. Some excellent and hardy varieties are:

• The Sutton only grows to about 30cm in height, making it a great choice for small gardens, indoor areas and wherever space is tight.

  

• Imperial Green Longpod produces huge pods over 35cm long with several large beans in each and is known for its flavor.

  

• Stero is a compact plant that produces in abundance with continuous harvests and the beans are so sweet that they can be eaten without cooking.

  

• Red Epicure produces deep red beans which can be a distinctive and exotic alternative to common beans.

  

• Aquadulce Claudia has been winning awards for flavor and robustness since 1850. This variety is especially good for planting in late fall or winter.

  

Step 2. Choose a date for sowing beans based on the climate

In general, it is advisable to plant broad beans in late autumn, after you have cleared your garden of summer crops, which means that you can start harvesting in the spring when you are ready to start planting other varieties. In regions with very cold winters, however, it is essential to wait until spring.

• Temperate areas: in most areas, it is preferable to start the beans in early spring to ensure a harvest in late summer. It is best to plant them with a temperature between 15.5 and 18 ° C, while they suffer at temperatures above 26.5 ° C.
• Temperate Mediterranean climates: in areas with mild winters, you can keep the beans in winter. They can remain healthy down to temperatures of around -9 ° C, which makes them perfect for surviving the winter in some climates. Due to the long ripening period, planting broad beans in late fall can ensure early spring harvest.
• Very Cold or Very Hot Areas: Start beans indoors in regions with sudden changes in temperature. If you live in the American Midwest or the South East, the transition from winter to summer is often quite sudden, putting strains of beans to the test, so start your plants indoors, several weeks before planting them in the ground.

Step 3. Prepare the soil with fertilizer

Whenever you plant beans, do so in well-worked soil that has been properly fertilized with fertilizer of your choice. Since broad beans are nitrogen-producing, you don't necessarily have to fertilize. If you do, use a variety of low-nitrogen fertilizer.

Choose a spot well exposed to the sun, away from all plants of the onion family; plow the area where you plant deeply, adding compost as you work the soil

Step 4. Consider inoculating the seeds to promote growth

Broad beans can grow in any type of soil, as legumes self-fertilize. To help them convert nitrogen, however, it is a good idea to use Rhizobium bacteria to help the roots fix nitrogen and promote growth. The black powder needed for this is available at any garden store.

Wet the seeds without exaggerating and put them in a coffee jar or cup with the inoculant, then shake gently to cover the seeds evenly before planting them. Do this a few minutes before placing the seeds in the soil

Step 5. Directly plant the seeds or start them in well-worked moist soil

Moisten the soil moderately with water before planting. It is not recommended that the water stagnates, a little humidity is enough to start.

• Use your finger to make holes about 5cm deep in the ground. Do them 20 cm apart in a double row, with the same distance between the two rows. If you are planting a variety known for its size, you may want to leave a little more space between them.
• Find the dark spot - the eye of the seed - and plant it down. Some gardeners recommend planting twice as many seeds as you want to account for seeds that won't germinate.

Step 6. Start planting indoors in colder climates

If you need to start the beans inside, a great way to start is to use old toilet paper tubes, one tube for each plant you hope to grow. Use a planting tray, available at any garden store, to line up the tubes and start the beans.

• Arrange the tubes in the tray facing upwards, fixed well. Fill the tubes 2/3 or 3/4 full with soil. You will probably pour some in between, but don't worry about the mess.
• Place a stone on top of the potting soil in each tube. If you have already soaked the beans to encourage germination, place the seed with the eye down. Water the tubes from above to compact the soil a little, then fill each tube a little more with potting soil, covering the beans.
• Put the tray in a room temperature place in your home. Once the beans sprout, move the tray to a sunny spot. Cold temperatures are fine, as long as they don't drop too far below freezing for too long.

Part 2 of 3: Caring for the Broad Beans

Step 1. Stake the plants as they begin to gain height

The small bushes that the broad beans develop quickly will be overloaded with heavy pods and will sag without adequate support. For this reason, it is important to plant poles along the row of beans and use them to support them as they begin to grow tall.

• Use small dowels spaced every 30 to 60 cm along the row, tying some string together to give the plants something to lean on. You can use twine or old strips of sheet to gently tie the plants and hold them upright so the pods don't land on the ground.
• Don't wait until you have huge plants and they are too bent to stake. It is very easy to damage the roots and promote mold if the plant spends too much time leaning towards the ground before being staked.

Step 2. Water without overdoing it and deeply

Broad beans can withstand periods of drought, but keep the plants well watered, especially if you live in a particularly hot climate. Water the soil deeply in the coolest part of the day - the first thing to do in the morning or evening after dinner - and avoid overwatering. You shouldn't see standing water around the beans.

Avoid overhead irrigation, so do not water the tops of the plants by letting the water drip down into the ground. This would promote mold and other problems. Water the soil directly

Step 3. Eliminate weeds in a determined way, especially if the plants are to overwinter

Broad bean roots are relatively shallow and are very easy to accidentally uproot with a hoe if you are careless. Then remove the weeds around the beans by hand, keeping the area free from competition. Once the plant has established itself, you may not even want to weed some weeds.

Step 4. When the plant starts producing pods, pinch off the new shoots

The plant will continue to grow and overproduce if you don't stop growing by pinching out new shoots as soon as you see more pods producing. At this point, you can collect some of the leaves to eat them, in fact they are perfect for a surprisingly tender salad.

Peel off the tips with two leaves when the young beans appear at the base. Remove the tips with two leaves attached from the tops of the plants. If you don't want to eat them, put them in compost

Step 5. Consider using a plant cover

If you have problems with rodents, marmots, rabbits, or other animals that create a mess in the garden, protect the beans with suitable sheets, if necessary. You can choose between plastic or cloth sheets that you can gently stake, draping them over the plants. This leaves enough room for growth, air circulation and even heat.

• Protective sheets can also be a great idea if planting in the fall, as they will help trap heat close to the ground and protect the plants from frost.
• If you are using covers, leave the plants uncovered for a while in broad daylight, perhaps while removing the weeds, to allow air to circulate more easily. Check for fungal diseases and rot at the base of the plants. If you see whitish or yellowish patches, water less and expose the plants to the air more often.

Step 6. Beware of aphids

Aphids love bean plants and usually gather at the top, near the new shoots. Some gardeners use spray insecticides to keep aphids away from plants, but an easier method is to cut off the buds where the aphids gather as soon as you see them. If you are a diligent gardener, you should be able to get rid of them before they do a lot of damage.

Part 3 of 3: Collect the Broad Beans

Step 1. Collect some early to eat whole

Like other legumes, beans can be tender and edible as soon as they are born, so they can be eaten raw, like snow peas, or steamed whole as a side dish. Broad beans are known for their waxy outer shells, but by harvesting them young those outer shells will be soft and edible.

• Look for a thin, bright green pod. The pods should be thin and tight, with no bulges, which means the beans are ripe inside. If they show these bulges, allow them to fully mature.
• Don't go too far in harvesting young beans, because the real flavor is in the adult variety. It's okay to get a few from each plant if you can't wait, but save most for full ripening.

Step 2. Harvest ripe beans when the pods are bright green and don't have too many protrusions

The beans are ready to be harvested when the pods are round, the beans full and distinct in each pod. When the pods are ready to harvest they will appear plump and have a tendency to bend under the weight of the beans.

Depending on the variety you are growing, on each plant you will find numerous pods ranging from 15 to 35 centimeters in length, with several large, chubby beans inside. If you collect them consistently throughout the season, you should also make room for a greater production, if you happen to have a good vintage facilitated by time

Step 3. Shell the beans

To get the beans, you need to shell them from the pod. Holding each pod with the tip up, pull the thread along the side to open it.

• Again, depending on the variety, each pod should have 5-10 beans inside, which have a thick waxy shell that must be removed before eating them. It takes a bit of work, but by organizing the process it can go faster.
• The easiest way to do this is to bleach them by dropping the beans in boiling water, count to five and then immediately remove them with a skimmer, immediately placing them in ice water. This will loosen the shells of each bean.

Step 4. Enjoy broad beans in soups, salads and other dishes

The best way to eat broad beans is the simplest: steam them and serve them simply seasoned with salt and pepper. They are large, meaty and delicious, ideal when paired with red meats. But they are also an excellent base for bean soups or in addition to hearty salads.

Step 5. Return the entire plant to the ground when the beans run out

Since bean plants provide large amounts of nitrogen, it's a good idea to return them to the soil and let their nutrients enrich the soil. Cut each plant at the base and blend the roots into the soil. Cover them with soil and, if possible, rotate crops in your garden so that plants that need nitrogen can take advantage of the soil enriched by beans.

Advice

• Broad beans grow well in most soil types, but the richer the soil, the more abundant the crop will be.
• Do not store bean pods in the fridge, they will quickly blacken and become slimy. They keep well for a few days in a cool, dry and airy environment.
• The beans can also be dried. Remove the beans from the pods, put them in a dry place and leave them to dry completely. The dried beans can be stored in an airtight container, you can eat them later or use them for new planting.
• For longer storage, freeze the beans; remove them from the pods, put them in a plastic bag and freeze them.