Broad Windsor Fava Bean Seeds (Organic)

Broad Windsor Fava Bean (Vicia faba) is a classic English heirloom, a hardy annual bush legume prized for large, light-green shelling beans and a rich, nutty flavor. Sturdy upright plants reach about 4 feet and carry 5 to 6 inch pods, each filled with 3 to 5 plump beans for fresh shelling or drying. As a legume, it also fixes nitrogen in the soil to benefit the crops that follow.

At a glance

• Botanical name: Vicia faba
• Type: Heirloom, hardy annual bush legume, organic
• Days to maturity: 70 days
• Sun: Full sun
• Planting depth: 1 inch
• Spacing after thinning: 4 to 6 inches
• Germination: 6 to 12 days at 50 to 80°F soil
• Seeds per packet: about 10 (about 115 per 1/2 lb bulk)

Best for

• Cool-season vegetable gardens with spring or fall sowing
• Mild-winter areas where lows stay above 10°F, sown in September
• Soil building through nitrogen fixation in crop rotations
• Gardeners who want a dual-purpose fresh and dried bean
• Ornamental edible beds, thanks to white flowers with black markings

How to grow

Plant in well-drained soil rich in organic matter, and treat raw seed with Pea-Vetch or Garden Combination inoculant before sowing. Water lightly at planting, moderately at flowering, and more heavily during harvest, avoiding overhead watering. In cold climates, sow in spring and avoid hot weather. Harvest pods while the beans are tender and green, or leave them to mature light-brown for soups and hummus.

Flavor profile

The fresh green beans are creamy and mild with a nutty finish, while the mature dried beans turn richer and heartier, well suited to soups, stews, and hummus.

About Grow Organic

Grow Organic supplies non-GMO, certified organic seeds and garden essentials for home growers who want a healthy, productive garden the natural way.

Sold by Grow Organic, based in Grass Valley, California.