Common names: bean, broad bean, horsebean, fava bean, Scotch bean, Windsor bean

Botanical name: Vicia faba

Origin: Central Asia

Varieties

Long Pod (55 days); Broad Long Pod (57 days).

Description

The broad bean is a bushy, hardy annual that grows three to four feet tall; it has square stems with leaves divided into leaflets. The white flowers are splotched with brown. The pods are six to eight inches long and when mature contain four to six or more light-brown seeds. The broad bean has quite a history. Upperthe species became a dietary staple of the Roman legionnaires (who knew them as fava beans) and later of the poor people in England. In fact, they're not true beans at all but are related to the vetch, another legume.

Where and when to grow

Broad beans will grow in cool weather that would be unsuitable for snap beans. They like full sun but need cool weather to set their pods. They prefer temperatures below 70°F and should be planted very early in the growing season; they will not produce in the summer's heat. In areas where winters are mild, plant broad beans in the fall for a spring crop. In cold areas they can be grown instead of lima beans, which require a warmer and longer growing season.

How to plant

Plant broad beans very early in spring. Choose a location in full sunlight with soil that is fertile, high in organic matter, and well drained. Broad beans prefer an alkaline soil. When you're preparing the soil for planting, work-in a complete, well-balanced fertilizer at the rate of one pound per 100 square feet or 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Plant broad bean seeds one to two inches deep in rows four feet apart. When the seedlings are growing strongly, thin them to stand eight to 10 inches apart.

Fertilizing and watering

Beans set up a mutual exchange with soil microorganisms called nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which help them produce their own fertilizer. Some gardeners recommend that if you haven't grown beans in the plot the previous season, you should treat the bean seeds before planting with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria inoculant to help them convert organic nitrogen compounds into usable organic compounds. This is a perfectly acceptable practice but it isn't really necessary; the bacteria in the soil will multiply quickly enough once they've got a growing bean plant to work with. Fertilize before planting and again at midseason, at the same rate as the rest of the garden.

Water broad beans before the soil dries out, but don't over water - wet soil conditions combined with high temperatures are an invitation to root diseases.

Pests

Beans are attacked by aphids, bean beetles, flea beetles, leafhoppers, and mites. Aphids, leafhoppers, and mites can be controlled chemically by spraying with Malathion or Diazinon. Bean beetles and flea beetles can be controlled chemically by spraying with carbaryl. Beans are almost always attacked by large numbers of pests that cannot be controlled by organic methods; this doesn't mean they can't be grown organically, but it does mean that yields may be lower if only organic controls are used.

Diseases

Beans are susceptible to blight, mosaic, and anthracnose. You can cut down on the incidence of disease by planting disease resistant varieties when they're available, maintaining the general health of your garden, and avoiding handling the plants when they're wet. If a plant does become infected, remove it and destroy it so it can't spread disease to healthy plants.

When and how to harvest

Broad beans can be harvested when the beans are still the size of a pea and used like snap beans. It's more usual, however, to let them reach maturity and eat only the shelled beans. Time from planting to harvest is about 85 days.

Storing and preserving

Unshelled beans can be kept up to one week in the refrigerator. You can freeze, can, or dry the shelled beans. Dried shelled broad beans can be stored in a cool, dry place for 10 to 12 months.

Serving suggestions

Broad beans are good steamed and served with a light white or cheese sauce. Or top steamed broad beans with a little sauteed parsley, garlic, and onion. Use them in a casserole with onions, tomatoes, and cheese, or add them to a hearty vegetable soup along with any other vegetables you've got on hand. You can prepare broad beans any way you prepare lima beans.