Spanish Green Broad (Fava) Bean Seeds - 50g

The Spanish green broad bean is a classic shelling fava (Vicia faba) loved for its plump, tender seeds and sweet, lightly buttery flavour. Picked young, the bright green beans are mild and creamy, perfect for the Egyptian table fresh, in stews, or simply boiled with a little oil and cumin. As a hardy cool-season legume of the Fabaceae family, it thrives through the mild winter and rewards growers with generous pods.

Planting

Fava bean is a cool-season crop that performs poorly above about 27 C. In Egypt, sow in autumn so plants grow through the mild winter and mature before the summer heat; for the Nile Delta, sowing around 1 November is best, while warmer Upper Egypt can start in mid-to-late October. Sow seed about 5 cm deep directly in its final spot, as the long taproot dislikes transplanting. Space seeds roughly 15-23 cm apart in rows about 45 cm apart. Germination begins in cool soil, even near 4 C, and seedlings usually emerge in about 7-15 days. Choose a sheltered spot in full sun with fertile, moist but well-drained soil.

Fertilizing

As a legume, fava bean fixes its own nitrogen through Rhizobium leguminosarum, so inoculate the seed with this bacterium before the first planting in new ground to boost yield and reduce the need for added nitrogen. Where soil phosphorus is low, band phosphorus fertilizer at planting to encourage vigorous early growth.

Care

Water well once flowering starts and again about two weeks later to help pods set; containers need watering more often. When the lowest flowers have set small pods, pinch out the soft shoot tips to discourage black bean aphid and lift yield. Watch for chocolate spot and rust. Harvest while pods are full but small and the bean's scar is still pale, not black.