Botanical name: Vicia faba
Also known as: Fava Beans, Broad Beans, Faba Bean
Benefits: Nitrogen fixation, high nutrition
Germination time: 4-12 days
Ideal Germination Temperature: 68 degrees F, but can sprout between 40F and 75F.
Days to Maturity: 220+ days when fall planted
Height: 2-4 feet

- Plant Genetic Resources, UMass Amherst, USDA

Warning: Some people are allergic to fava beans. If you have favism or G6PD deficiency, serious complications can occur. Do not eat fava beans if you have this issue.

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Planning a fall garden? Don’t forget to add fava beans to your list!

If you’re in zone 7 or above, these beans can survive the winter, offering you fresh, protein-rich produce come June.

While many fall garden staples are planted in July or August, fava beans (aka broad beans) actually thrive when sown in the fall. Even though you'll wait a bit longer for the harvest, it's worth it for a hearty crop just as the hunger gap ends.

Of course, fall-sown fava beans come with their own set of challenges, especially in zones 7 and 8. I've navigated these pitfalls myself and found solutions that worked.

In this guide, you’ll discover what makes autumn sowing different from summer, and learn how to ensure a bountiful crop by spring.

Why Choose Autumn for Planting Fava Beans?

Personally, I love planting three crops of fava beans - one in the fall, one in mid-March, and one around June 1st. This helps me to have a longer supply of fresh beans, which I love adding to meals.

Out of all these plantings, autumn sowing requires the least input from me. The natural rainfall during autumn, winter, and spring nourishes the plants at key development stages like germination, flowering, and pod set. Unlike spring or summer plantings, autumn sowing leverages nature’s rhythms, reducing the need for intensive watering and care.

If you typically experience mild winters, where temperatures don't usually drop below 20 degrees, you can expect a robust crop in about 7 to 8 months. This autumn crop is particularly valuable because it provides food in June, a time when fresh produce is scarce and my stored squashes are dwindling in both quantity and quality.

For areas with generally mild winters but occasional nights dipping into the teens, read on to see my tips for helping plants survive those cold snaps. This proactive approach ensures a hearty harvest just as the hunger gap ends.

Ancestors and Traditions

Even before I had a garden, I was enamored with fava beans. Once a year, when fresh fava beans were available in my local market, I would buy them out and cook up a special meal that I could only really have once or twice a year.

When I finally got a plot of land to tend, one of the things I was most excited about was a far longer stretch of fresh beans for dishes - stir fries, mashes, hummus, or just sautéed with some spring garlic and onions...oh my goodness.

Fava beans have captured the imagination of folks from the Mediterranean and SWANA regions for millennia. Not only are they are staple food, but they are also woven in with tradition and superstition in a wondrous way.

For example, in ancient Egypt and Rome, they were an emblem of death. In Rome, they were eaten during funerals. Pythagoras avoided them like the plague and thought that each bean contained the souls of our ancestors, and the hollow stems of the plant were portals to the underworld.

As this article in Atlas Obscura explains, so much of the superstition around the beans likely stems from favism - the G6PD deficiency I mentioned earlier. Even with our modern-day technology, 1 in 12 people who have this gene die in connection to the bean.

Interestingly, in the Mediterranean, this crop is planted around All Soul's Day - our American Halloween, and day of honoring the dead and ancestors.

When you plant fava beans in the fall, you’re not only continuing this ancient tradition but, according to legend, creating a connection to the underworld. It's a symbolic way of honoring the past, both figuratively and literally.

In my garden, I need to plant them a few weeks before Halloween. The pumpkin decor and candy corn serve as my reminder to start sowing!

How to plant fava beans

• In zones 7 and up, you can plant in early spring or in autumn.
  • Plants can tolerate temperatures down to 15F.
  • In zones 6 and under, you can still grow them - just plant them in the spring instead.
• It's best to sow them directly in-ground.
  • Plant seeds at a depth that is twice their height, or 1-2 inches in the ground.
  • Seeds should be at least be 8-12 inches apart.
  • Lean towards bigger spacing if you have rainy growing conditions over winter.
  • Rows should be 2-3 feet apart.
• Keep soil moist until germination occurs.

(USDA)

How I prepare to sow fava beans in fall to over-winter

• Planting time: Planting time: A couple of weeks before your average first frost date, typically mid-September to early October in zone 7, mid-October in zone 8, and early November in zones 9+.
• Necessary prep: A freshly cleared bed. I prefer to plant my crop in new beds to enhance soil health or after a heavy feeder crop like squash or brassicas to naturally replenish nitrogen.
• Soil prep: If this area hasn't hosted legumes before, the necessary soil bacteria for natural nitrogen fixation may be absent. Use either an organic nitrogen fertilizer or a Rhizobium leguminosarum inoculant at planting. According to UMass Amherst, you may need to supplement phosphorus levels of the soil around fava beans. This is because the process of nitrogen fixation utilizes a lot of phosphorus.
• ‍Helpful materials: Organic straw or fallen leaves make for an excellent mulch around the plants - wait until they are around 4 inches tall to mulch.‍
• Pro tip: Mulch helps the plants survive when temperatures dip into the teens at night

Select the right variety for success

Not all fava beans are good candidates for fall planting, especially if you live in zone 7/8 where you might get an unexpected couple of nights in the low teens during the winter.

It's important to get seeds that have been bred for over-wintering in a similar climate, or at least have a good reputation for surviving the colder growing season.

Here are some cold-hardy fava varieties known for their resilience:

• Large bean size, cold hardy: Ianto's Return from Adaptive Seeds‍
• Survives single digits, small beans quick to cook: Sweet Lorane from Adaptive Seeds
• Extremely cold hardy: Russian Black from Great Lakes Staple Seeds
• Best for low desert winters: Cuarteles from Native Seeds Search
• Great for zones 8b and up: Loreta from Giving Ground Seed
• Adapted to over-winter in zones 9 + 10: Crimson from San Diego Seed

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Chocolate Spot

Chocolate spot, caused by Botrytis species, shows up as brown, "chocolate" colored spots on the leaves. Unfortunately, the disease can cause significant yield losses. However, one benefit to over-wintering this crop in some climates is that chocolate spot risk is higher when temperatures are 60-70 degrees F.

Rust

Rust , caused by Uromyces viciae-fabae, can also affect plant health and yield. Rust is a small, reddish-brown raised spots on leaves - or "rust" colored. Eventually, leaves can fall off causing a decrease in the plant's photosynthesis capabilities.  Like chocolate spot, the impact of rust is influenced by weather conditions - temperatures above 70 degrees F, humidity and moisture play a large factor. Try theBroad Windsor variety, which can be more resistant to rust than other varieties.

Downy Mildew

Downy mildew is caused by the pathogen Peronospora viciae. For this diesease, the leaves form a yellow color and there is a downy mycelial growth on the undersides, particularly in humid conditions.

Prevention

• air flow and circulation is important - increase plant spacing
• avoid overhead watering (although some climates are quite wet during winter)
• destroy infected plant residue
• practice crop rotation

Weather-Related Challenges

How to Protect Fava Beans from Low Temperatures

In my garden, fava beans have proven to be frost-hardy. However, when temperatures dip below 15 degrees, plants can suffer. I learned to mulch my plants heavily before temperatures in the teens came through. Even if the plants died, they usually resprouted within a few weeks. You can also cover your beans with horticultural fleece when low temperatures are predicted, which helped them survive the cold snaps. If you have a greenhouse, you may choose to plant your cropthere - but I found that to be a breeding ground for disease due to lack of circulation and warmer, more ideal temperatures.

Dealing with Heavy Rainfall or Drought Conditions

Mulch is the answer to protecting plants from both heavy rainfall and drought. Heavy rainfall can lead to waterlogged soil, which fava beans despise. Raised beds with well-drained soil can help, elevating the plants above potential flood zones. On the other hand, drought conditions are tackled with drip irrigation systems without wasting water.

Mistakes to Avoid

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Planting too late in the season: Timing is everything. Plant a few weeks before the first frost date to get your plants established
• Overcrowding plants: Disease spreads easily when plants are too close. Space them adequately for good air circulation.
• Neglecting soil health: Fava beans thrive in rich, well-drained soil. Prepare your bed with plenty of compost and consider crop rotation.
• Choosing an unsuitable variety: Not all varieties are winter-hardy. Select varieties known for their overwintering capabilities.

One mistake I made early on was planting my fava beans too close together. I thought the more plants the better, but they didn't have enough circulation and I lost a lot of the plants to disease. Now, I make sure to space them out!

Common Questions and Solutions

Can fava beans survive frost?
Yes, they are quite hardy and can survive light frosts. For unexpected freezes, covering the plants with horticultural fleece can help protect them.

What varieties are best for autumn planting?
Some of the best varieties for autumn planting include Ianto's Return, Sweet Lorane, and Russian Black. These are known for their cold hardiness and resilience.

Do they always fix their own nitrogen?
If beans have never been planted in the soil before, it would b helpful to use a Rhizobium leguminosarum inoculant, which is the bacteria in the soil that forms a relationship with your fava beans and converts atmospheric nitrogen into something the plants can use as a nutrient. Alternatively, you can apply an organic nitrogen fertilizer throughout the growing season to meet the plant's needs.

Sustainable and Self-Sufficient Home Gardening with Broad Beans

Planting fava beans in the autumn not only leverages natural rainfall and cooler temperatures but also provides a valuable crop during the early summer months.

This crop is a step forward towards more sustainable, regenerative agriculture.

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just beginning, this crop will benefit your garden, the environment, and your table.

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