{"id":1562,"date":"2019-09-08T05:35:59","date_gmt":"2019-09-08T05:35:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/?p=1562"},"modified":"2019-10-07T02:16:39","modified_gmt":"2019-10-07T02:16:39","slug":"bean-fava","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/2019\/09\/08\/bean-fava\/","title":{"rendered":"Bean, Fava"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Vicia<\/em> <\/em>faba<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong>: The Fava bean originated in the Middle East, but has been grown in the colder parts of Europe as far back as the Iron Age. It has long been (no pun intended) a staple of Northern European peasants and was actually their only bean until the discovery of the Americas and their various beans. They are also popular in parts of Asia, South America and North Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crop value: <\/strong>Fava bean isn\u2019t closely related to any other bean and is actually\na kind of vetch (Vicia<\/em>). It does resemble other\nbeans in being very rich in protein (it has been called the soybean of the\nnorth) and because it is a nitrogen fixer. It is quite easy to grow and is\noften recommended as a good crop for beginning gardeners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fava bean has great potential as a self-sufficiency crop. It\nisn\u2019t highly productive for the space it takes up, but because of its ability\nto grow in cool weather, it can often be planted as a additional winter crop,\nusing space that would otherwise be vacant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ease of growing<\/strong>: Fava bean is a fairly easy crop to grow so long as it gets\nsuitably cool weather (warm weather brings problems). It doesn\u2019t need very\nfertile soil as it fixes its own nitrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutritional content: <\/strong>Fava beans are very nutritious with 24% protein, 2% fat and 50%\ncarbohydrate. A comparison of protein quality shows soybean 68, fava bean 67,\nkidney bean 55 and peanut 52. They also contain soluble fiber (which can lower\ncholesterol) and complex carbohydrates. They contain about 1530 calories per\npound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has recently been found that fava beans contain a substance\ncalled levodopa which is used in commercial medications to control\nParkinson\u2019s  disease. Some people have\nbeen using fava beans instead of the commercial drugs, apparently with some\nsuccess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caution<\/strong>: Some people, particularly males of Mediterranean (and sometimes\nAsian) descent are allergic to fava beans. It causes a serious (sometimes even\nfatal) allergic reaction known as favism. Favism occurs in people with a\ndeficiency of a blood enzyme called G6PD and destroys red blood cells. If you\nhave any reason to think you might be allergic then it is usually recommended,\nthat you eat only a couple of beans initially (the first symptom is urinary\nbleeding).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people are even allergic to the foliage or pollen and get a\nrash when they come in contact with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
 About Fava Bean<\/strong>  <\/strong>
Seed facts<\/strong>
Germ temp: 40 (40 – 75) 75\u02daF
Germ time: 7 – 14 days
Viability: 2 – 6 years
Germination percentage: 75%+  <\/strong>

Planning facts<\/strong>
Hardiness: Hardy
Growing temp: 40 (60 – 65) 75\u02daF
Plants per person: 10
Plants per sq ft: 3
Direct sow: 4 wks before last frost
Fall crop: sow 4 – 8 wks before first fall frost
Succession sow: every 2 – 3 wks
Days to harvest:
              70 – 90 shell beans
               90 – 150 days dry beans
Plant height: 3 – 5 ft
Plant diameter: 12 – 18\u02dd

Harvest facts<\/strong>
Harvest period: 6 – 8 wks
Yield per plant: 2 oz beans
Plants per person: 5
Yield per sq ft:
         \u00bc \u2011 1 lb sq ft (green beans)  
          1 oz sq ft (dry beans)  <\/strong> <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Climate<\/strong>: This species is unique among commonly cultivated beans in that it actually\ndislikes heat. It is a cool weather crop, with requirements more akin to the\npea than other beans. If your climate is too cold for other beans, this is the\none to try. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the United States is too warm for fava beans in summer, so\nit is grown in spring or fall (at the same time as peas). It is grown as a\nsummer crop in colder climates like Britain and as an over wintering crop in\nareas with mild winters like Italy. In the tropics it is only grown in high\nmountains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fava bean grows best at a temperature of 60 – 65\u02daF. It won\u2019t\nreally work if it gets much above 70\u02daF, because the flowers will fall off\ninstead of setting pods. It is very hardy (down to 20\u02daF) and doesn\u2019t mind cold\nsoil so long as it isn\u2019t actually frozen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil<\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

pH 6.0 \u2011 7.0 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fava beans do well in most soil types, so long\nas they aren\u2019t too acidic. Their preference is for a fertile, fairly heavy\nsoil, with lots of organic matter\nto retain moisture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important that the soil be well-drained, especially for an\nover-wintering crop, as their roots may rot if they sit in cold wet soil. The\nlarge seeds are also prone to rot if they sit for a long time in cold wet soil\nwithout germinating (some seed is pre-treated with a fungicide to try and\nprevent this). If your soil tends to stay wet then raised beds are a good idea\nwhen growing fava beans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil preparation<\/strong>: Fava beans like organic matter, so incorporate 2\u02dd of compost, or\naged manure, into the top 6\u02dd of soil. If they are following a crop that was\nheavily fertilized, you don\u2019t need to add this. They don\u2019t need a lot of\nnitrogen, because they host nitrogen-fixing bacteria in nodules on their roots.\nIf the pH is low, add lime, as they don\u2019t like acid soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planning<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where<\/strong>: Like most plants that grow in cool weather, fava beans need full\nsun for best growth. When growing in hotter weather they may benefit from light\nshade during the hottest part of the day. They can get quite tall (5 ft), so\ndon\u2019t put them where they might cast shade on other crops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When<\/strong>: Fava\nbeans like the same growing conditions as peas, with 2 – 3 months of fairly\ncool weather being ideal. The best time to plant them depends on the climate,\nthere are several options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring<\/strong>: In areas with many weeks of cool spring weather, they are often\ngrown as a spring crop. They are planted out as early as the soil can be\nworked, which may be 4 weeks before the last frost (or even earlier if sown\nunder cloches). These plants should be out of the ground by the end of June,\nleaving plenty of time for another crop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summer<\/strong>: In areas with cool summers, they can be succession sown every\nfew weeks, to give a continuous harvest all summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fall<\/strong>: You can plant them in late summer \/ early fall for a fall crop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter<\/strong>: In areas with mild winters they can be sown in fall, to grow\nright through the winter and mature in early spring. The trick is to use a\nsuitably hardy variety and for the plants to be advanced enough when cold\nweather comes that they keep growing. If they are too small they may never\nreally get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early spring<\/strong>: If winter isn\u2019t mild enough for continuous growth, you can sow\nthem in mid winter for an early spring crop. In England some particularly hardy\nvarieties (the long pod types) are sown in winter, to emerge in early spring.\nThese plants bear a few weeks before spring planted ones. Much of North America\nis too cold for this however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germination problems: <\/strong>When fava beans are planted in cool, wet soil they are prone to\nrotting and may not have a very high germination rate. If this is a problem\nwait until the soil has warmed up a bit more. If you have continued problems\nwith poor germination you might want to try pre-germinating the seed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inoculation<\/strong>: If you haven\u2019t grown this crop before, it will fix more nitrogen\nif inoculated with the appropriate nitrogen-fixing bacteria (one suitable for\nvetches). By enhancing the health of the plants it may also increase yields.\nSee Bush and Pole Beans <\/strong>for how to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indoors<\/strong>: Fava beans aren\u2019t usually started inside, because they do so\nwell when direct sown. The large seeds can germinate at low temperatures and\ngrow quickly once they have germinated. I suppose you might want to start them\ninside to get a very early start, or if birds or rodents are a big problem.\nThey can be started in flats, but (like most legumes) they dislike root\ndisturbance, so it is better to start them in large soil blocks or cell packs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seedlings grow quickly and won\u2019t need to be inside for very\nlong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outdoors<\/strong>: The seeds\ncan germinate at temperatures as low as 40\u02daF, so they can be direct sown into\ncold soil. You can hasten germination by pre\u2011sprouting the seeds, though you\nhave to be careful not to damage the delicate shoots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seeds\nare planted 1\u02dd (small seeds) to 2 \u00bd\u02dd (large seed) deep, using a dibber. It is a\ngood idea to plant a few extra seeds at the end of the row, to fill in vacant\nspots where seeds fail to germinate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can speed\nup germination and growth of your earliest planting by starting it under a\ncloche or poly tunnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Succession sowing<\/strong>: To get a continuous harvest, you can make several succession\nsowings every 2 – 3 weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spacing<\/strong>: This varies according to the fertility of the soil and the size of\nthe variety. Dwarf varieties are planted closer together than the larger types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beds<\/strong>: Plant 4 – 8\u02dd apart in offset rows across the bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rows<\/strong>: Taller varieties do best when planted in two rows, down the center\nof the bed. Space the plants 4 – 6\u02dd apart in the rows, with 18 – 24\u02dd between\nthe rows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is possible to plant 2 double rows in a bed. Space the rows 9\u02dd\napart, with 6\u02dd between plants in the row. Separate the 2 double rows by 24\u02dd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Care<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weed<\/strong>: Fava beans are pretty robust plants and can handle almost any\nweeds when full grown. The young plants will need to be kept free of weeds\nthough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watering<\/strong>: Water regularly in dry weather, as lack of water can affect the\nnumber and quality of the pods. Fortunately dry soil is not usually a big\nproblem in the cool weather they prefer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water is most critical when the flowers appear and they are\nsetting pods. If water is in short supply, just give it when the flowers open\nand again when the pods begin to swell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fertilization<\/strong>: This isn\u2019t usually necessary if they are growing in reasonable\nsoil, especially as they fix their own nitrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Support<\/strong>: Though these beans don\u2019t climb, they may get quite tall, to 4\nfeet or more. When they get a heavy load of pods they can become top heavy and\nfall over (especially in windy areas). Consequently they may benefit from some\nkind of support. The simplest support consists of bamboo canes and garden\ntwine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A simpler approach is to earth up the stems to stop them falling\nover. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they are grown in a dense stand the plants tend to be mutually\nself-supporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pruning<\/strong>: It is a common practice to pinch out the top 4 – 6\u02dd of the plant\nafter it has set three sets of pods. This not only helps the pods to develop,\nbut also discourages bean aphids (these are attracted to the succulent new\ngrowth and can be a major pest). If the tops aren\u2019t infested with aphids, they\ncan be used as a potherb. If they are infested they should be removed from the\ngarden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companions<\/strong>: It is said that fava beans don\u2019t like garlic or onions, which is\nironic as they go together well in the kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pests<\/strong>: Most pests and diseases aren\u2019t very active in the cool weather\nwhen fava beans are doing most of their growth, so they are relatively pest\nfree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cutworms may destroy the young seedlings as they appear. Slugs and\nsnails can also be troublesome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bean aphids are the common problem and as\nsoon as it gets warm enough their appearance is almost inevitable. They tend to\ncluster on the growing tip of the plant, which is why this is often removed\nafter enough pods have set. You can also try washing them off of the plants\nwith a strong jet of water from a hose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other pests include  bean\nbeetles, broad bean weevil, flea beetles, leafhoppers and mites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diseases<\/strong>: Commonest diseases include anthracnose, chocolate spot, mosaic\nand blight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvest<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plants are indeterminate, so the lower pods ripen first and\nthen those above. If temperatures get much above 70\u02daF, the flowers will usually\ndrop off instead of setting pods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pods<\/strong>: The very young (2\u02dd) pods can be used like green beans. They\nshould be harvested before the beans start to enlarge and the interior of the\npod gets cottony. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shell Beans<\/strong>: Fava beans are most often harvested in the green shell stage.\nThey should have reached full size, but the skins shouldn\u2019t have started to\ntoughen. At this time the pod will still be quite soft and the seed will be not\nmuch bigger than a penny. Gathered at this time, the seeds are tender and\ndelicious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dry beans<\/strong>: These are gathered after the pods turn crisp and almost black\n(don\u2019t wait too long or the seeds may start to mold in the pod).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greens<\/strong>: The succulent growing tips can be harvested for use like\nspinach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flowers are not only edible, but also taste pretty good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After harvest<\/strong>: Don\u2019t pull the plants out of the ground after the harvest is\nover, cut them off at ground level instead. This leaves the nitrogen rich roots\nto decompose directly into the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storage<\/strong>: The pods can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, for\nup to 2 weeks. Shell beans can be canned or frozen. The dry beans (they must be\nreally dry) can be stored in a cool dry, aerated place, where rodents can\u2019t get\nthem (though they can be frozen too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seed saving<\/strong>: Fava beans are usually self- pollinated, but may occasionally be\ncross-pollinated by bees, so to ensure purity you should only grow one variety\nat a time. Allow the pods to ripen fully and dry out on the plant. Take seeds\nfrom at least 5 of the best plants and dry thoroughly for storage. Don\u2019t keep\nany seed that has gone moldy or has black spots on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to grow fava beans as a cover crop you will need quite\na lot of seed. The best way to get this is to save it from your own\nplants.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unusual growing ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second harvest<\/strong>: If you cut the plants down to the ground after harvest they will\nsometimes send up new suckers. These may actually produce more pods (not a lot,\nbut some). Even if they don\u2019t, they will provide biomass for composting or\ngreen manure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greens<\/strong>: Fava beans can also be grown as a super hardy, low maintenance\nedible leaf crop for spring or fall (or you can eat some of your green manure).\nSimply sow the seeds and when the plants appear you can start harvesting the\ntender young greens, If you cut them at a node when 4 – 6\u02dd tall they will grow\nback with two stems instead of one. Do this several times and you get a bushier\nplant that can then be allowed to produce flowers and pods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cover crop \/ green manure<\/strong>: Fava bean is commonly used as a green manure or cover crop. In\nmild areas it will grow right through the winter and reach a height of 5 feet\nor more. It not only fixes more nitrogen than most other crops (it\u2019s been\nestimated that 100 lb of green material contains \u00bd lb of nitrogen), but also\nproduces a lot of biomass for compost material, Their roots are good for\nloosening compacted soil and generally improving tilth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fava beans are a useful crop for re-establishing a garden on a\nneglected site, either as a winter cover crop or a summer green manure (in\ncooler areas). When used as a green manure, the plants are dug into the soil\nwhen they start to flower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The density for a cover crop should be about 1 plant per square\nfoot, which means you need quite a lot of seed to plant a large area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a bonus you can eat the tender parts of the green manure plants\nas greens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insect food:<\/strong> <\/em>The plants are an important source of food for insects in winter\nor early spring. They are also a good source of pollen for honey bees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Survival crop: <\/strong>Fava beans are an excellent survival crop: high in protein and\ncalories, easy to grow, they fix a lot of nitrogen, produce a lot of biomass\nand grow in the colder part of the year (leaving the warmer part for another\ncrop. The only drawback is that they take a lot of space (but in winter it\nprobably isn\u2019t used anyway).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Containers: <\/strong>Fava beans can do quite well in containers, though you probably\nwon\u2019t get much of a harvest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Varieties<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The larger seeded types are usually used as shell beans. There are\ndistinct varieties for autumn and spring sowing and its important to choose the\nright one. Fava bean isn\u2019t a very popular crop in this country and the choice\nof varieties is limited (mostly to imported European varieties).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Longpods<\/strong>: The pods on these\nvarieties may be over a foot in length, with as many as 8 large kidney shaped\nseeds. They are very hardy and are often sown in fall, as a winter or early\nspring crop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aquadulce – A\nclassic early variety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extra Preoce Violetto – A hardy Italian<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Windsors<\/strong>: These varieties produce\nshort pods with only 4 smallish round seeds per pod. They are not as hardy as\nthe longpods and so are usually sown in spring. Some people say these are the\nbest-flavored types. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broad Windsor – An\nold English variety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Express –\nNot easy to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sutton-\nNot easy to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bell beans<\/strong>: These are the small\nseeded fava bean types that are commonly used for green manure and animal feed\n(which could be why they are sometimes called horse beans). They are also good\nfor humans to eat however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweet Lorane: This variety can be used as a edible\ncover crop, as it produces tasty, small seeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foul (Ful) Masri This small seeded Egyptian variety does well in warm weather. In\nthis country it is most often used as a green manure for warmer areas, but the\nseeds are also edible. In Egypt it is commonly used for making hummus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kitchen use<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fava beans are usually eaten as shell beans,\neither steamed, stir fried, or boiled for 5 minutes. If you are using older\nbeans you might want to remove the tough skins before eating (though you don\u2019t\nhave to and it is tedious). This is done by snipping off the end with scissors\nand squeezing out the bean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dry beans may be used like\nkidney beans, though they take longer to cook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are often used\nin soups, stews and other dishes.   I\u2019ve read\nthat they can also be popped like popcorn, though I have never tried it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tender young growing tips are edible, as\nare the flowers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Falafel<\/strong>  <\/strong>
Falafel is usually made with chickpeas in this country, but in the Middle
East (where it originated) it is usually made with fava beans.

1 lb dry fava beans
1\/2 cup flat leaf parsley (chopped)
1\/2 cup cilantro
8 green onions (chopped)
6 cloves of garlic
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp baking powder
Salt
Black pepper  

Soak the beans for 24 hours and then boil them until tender (about an
hour). Puree them to a paste in a food processor and then add the
chopped parsley and onion and the rest of the seasonings. Leave for
about an hour, then mold into 1\u00bd\u02dd balls , coat in sesame seeds and fry.
They are normally deep fried, but you can also saute them. The balls are eaten with pita bread, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber and a sauce made
from tahini, lemon juice and garlic.   <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vicia faba Introduction: The Fava bean originated in the Middle East, but has been grown in the colder parts of Europe as far back as the Iron Age. It has … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1626,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[240],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seed-veg","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/P7084622.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1562"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1562\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1628,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1562\/revisions\/1628"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}