When to Plant Fava Beans
Fava beans are a half-hardy cool-season vegetable. They take light frosts but not a hard freeze.
Sow them outdoors 2 to 5 weeks before the last spring frost. The first harvest comes about 80 to 100 days after sowing.
Example dates
The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
| Task | Last frost Mar 15first Nov 15 | Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25 | Last frost May 15first Sep 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | Feb 8 – Mar 1 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Apr 10 – May 1 |
| Harvest | Apr 29 – May 20 | May 30 – Jun 20 | Jun 29 – Jul 20 |
Growing fava beans
Sow early in spring so pods set before summer heat; in mild-winter areas favas are often sown in autumn instead.
- Spacing: 6 in apart, in rows 24 in apart. In a raised bed, 4 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
- Days to harvest: 80 to 100 from sowing, then about 3 weeks of picking.
- Rotation: fava beans are in the bean family. Plant them where nothing from that family grew in the last two years. See crop rotation.
- Traditional companions: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, rutabaga, spinach, turnip. See companion plants for fava beans.
Plan your beds with these dates
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Open the garden plannerQuestions
Can fava beans go in before the last frost?
Yes. Fava beans are half-hardy: sow them 2 to 5 weeks before the last spring frost.
How long do fava beans take to grow?
About 80 to 100 days from sowing to the first harvest, which then lasts about 3 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.
More planting dates
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
- WSU Extension: Pacific Northwest Gardener's Handbook, Chapter 7: Vegetable Gardening
- Iowa State: All About Beans
- UC Master Gardener Program, UC ANR: Companion Planting Chart: Companion Planting for Edible Crops
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Companion Planting (Food Hero, 2021)