Fava Beans

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Fava beans growing at our McClellan Ranch project

The Basics

Fava beans, also known as broad beans, grow well as a cool season crop in Santa Clara County, unlike most other beans which are warm weather crops. Favas are also grown as a winter cover crop because of their ability to add nitrogen to the soil, but this page concerns the plant as a vegetable.

Note that some people of Mediterranean origin have a genetic trait (enzyme deficiency) that causes a severe allergic reaction to fava beans. People of this descent should sample the beans in small quantities at first.

When to plant: Direct seed in Feb, Aug-Sept (maybe Oct)

Harvest window: Harvest pods when beans are plump and the pods are green, thick, and have a glossy sheen.

Care overview

• Fava bean varieties are small or large seed types. Large-seeded varieties bear 1–2 pods at each node, small-seeded types produce from 2–5 pods.
• Planted seeds 1–2 inches deep into well-prepared soil, 3–5 inches apart. Germination usually occurs in 7–14 days. Thin seedlings to 8–l0 inches apart.

More links

• Fava Beans, University of California Cooperative Extension, Small Farms Program
• Using a Cover Crop [2:56]

Recommended Varieties for Santa Clara County

There are no recommendations yet for specific fava varieties for Santa Clara County. Here is an image showing a few available varieties. (Source: Fava Beans Growers Guide in New England, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Stockbridge School of Agriculture)

Fava bean varieties, one small, the rest large (Photo: University of Massachusetts Amherst, Stockbridge School of Agriculture)