Broad bean

The Broad bean, Fava Bean, Field Bean, Bell Bean or Tic Bean is a species of bean (Fabaceae) native to north Africa and southwest Asia, and extensively cultivated elsewhere.

Location
Choose a rich, free-draining, reasonably sunny site which is not too acidic. Ensure Fabaceae were not grown there last year.

Soil
Dig 2-3 months prior to sowing. Add compost or well-rotted manure if the ground was not enriched for the previous crop. Apply a general fertiliser 1 week before sowing.

Sowing
Sow in drills 5cm (2in) deep with 20cm (8in) between two rows and 60cm (2ft) between these pairings. Sow a few extra seeds at the ends of rows to fill in for any that fail to germinate.

Aftercare
Weed regularly from sowing until the seedlings are well established. Watering should not be necessary until pods have set, and then only during dry weather.

Support will probably be necessary for tall varieties; in which case put a strong stake at each end and in between the double rows (the rows 20cm (8in) apart) and run string between them at 30cm (12in) spacing up the posts.

Pinch off 7.5cm (3in) of the growing tips once the first pods start to form. This will promote an earlier harvest and help to control blackfly.

Harvesting
Pick pods when they reach 5-8cm (2-3in) long, leaving them longer will result in tough beans.