Anyone grow Fava Beans? - Page 10

gorbelly · April 24, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

Are those toilet paper rolls for sowing or to protect from some sort of critter?

Cutworm collars. The Internet told me that cutworms love favas. But now that I've seen how thick fava seedlings are even from the moment they break the surface of the soil, I think maybe the collars might not have been necessary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

Mine were planted just a few weeks earlier and they're only a few inches bigger. We had some warm weather and the soil temp is 56 degrees. It will no doubt go down to 50 again as its going to be cold thru next week. Aren't they a cool season crop?

Yes, they're a cool season crop. Mine were planted pretty soon after the ground thawed from the last snowstorm that blew through here. They took a while to come up, even with the rather warm spring we'd been having (although lately it's gone back to more normal temps on the cool side).

So I'd been hoping they would do what cool weather crops do and have some pods to harvest before I absolutely have to put the summer crops in. But it really doesn't seem like that's going to happen.

This is my first year trying to have spring crops, and they're all kind of slow. My lettuce is teeny tiny still.

gorbelly · April 24, 2017

RE: cool season

I read that favas stop setting/flowering when temps get above 80.

I think it might have been a little ambitious of me to try to grow them here. The change in seasons is usually pretty abrupt. Temps are hitting 80 later this week, actually, with possible highs near 90 over the weekend. Although temps go back down to the high 60s after the weekend.

Maybe the mini heat wave this weekend will be good to speed up vegetative growth, and by the time flowers happen, temps will be OK for setting pods.

If no luck this year, I'll try one more time by fall planting and letting them overwinter under mulch to see whether they get going sooner that way.

gorbelly · May 11, 2017

My favas are flowering now. How long to get pods with edible beans?

The Extra Precoce a Grano Violetto did flower a couple days earlier than the Aquadulce, despite having come up later.

Both varieties are still under 2' tall.

gorbelly · May 21, 2017

First pod formation on extra precoce a grano violetto.

No pods that I've seen yet on the aquadulce, although the aquadulce is flowering extravagantly. The flowers are probably three times as dense on the aquadulce as on the grano violetto.

Bean aphids seem to gravitate toward the aquadulce. I haven't seen any at all really on the grano violetto. Of course, it could just be the location. The aphids aren't so bad that a few squirts of soapy water won't control them. In a couple of weeks, the insect population will really kick into gear, and there will be tons of aphid predators. I've already seen a couple of mummified parasitized aphids and a couple ladybugs.

PhilaGardener · May 21, 2017

Interestingly, my favas are blooming their heads off this year but I haven't had a single pod set. Maybe all these temp swings are to blame . . .

greenthumbomaha · May 21, 2017

I have blooms too! I went out to search after reading the update. Amazing how the favas are on the same general timetable in different climates and weather conditions.

Mine haven't grown though - they are still a little over a foot. I left them in the peat pot way too long. I should have planted them as six inchers. I was lazy and busy with maters.

- Lisa

gorbelly · June 3, 2017

I topped my favas today. As is, sunlight still filters through, so I can plant my hot weather veg under them while I give them time to produce/mature more pods. But if they grow any more, they'll create way too much shade.

HoustonHeat · June 22, 2017

This is an interesting subject. I am new to gardening and so far have been focused on summer crops and finding heat tolerant varieties. It has hit me lately that my winters being mild I can grow other items and Fava could do great from November to March in Houston. I am going to try it.

gorbelly · June 22, 2017

Oh, yeah, if I lived in your climate, I would grow cool-weather crops in the winter for sure.

Favas are tough here. Our seasonal transition tends to be rather abrupt.

I cut down the rest of my favas today, as the heat was making them look cruddy, and the newer pods were starting to shrivel and/or rot rather than mature.

I did get enough beans (I ate them at mature size but still green) to get a couple decent meals out of them (risotto, mashed favas on toast). Plus grilled fava pods with olive oil and garlic. Yum. They were really, really delicious. In addition, I hope that the plants in the beds where they grew will benefit from their soil-building activities and the "green manure" they made.

I may plant them this fall to see whether they'll overwinter until spring and get a head start. They really do mature a little too late and have pushed back my summer crops a little more that I want as a result.

Aquadulce was more productive, had larger beans, and was tastier than Extra Precoce a Grano Violetto. And it was only later by about a week and a half.

bower · June 22, 2017

Eeeeeeek... I want to start favas now. What are the chances they will endure summer temps up into 72 F or more. hahahahaha.

NewWestGardener · June 22, 2017

Gorbelly, your photos help me to identify my grocerystore-bought-fava beans-as-seeds variety, as Grano Vialetto, exactly same flowers.
For those who want to try a generous seed source, I bought mine in Canadian Superstore, "extra large fava" from Australia. Excellent germination. They are blooming Now, planted in the shade, otherwise they could be earlier.

gorbelly · June 22, 2017

I think most fava varieties have the same kind of flowers. Aquadulce and Grano Violetto both had identical looking flowers for me.

I can't imagine many people are using Grano Violetto for commercial growing of favas. It's not very productive, and the beans are smaller than average for a fava.

mcool61 · June 24, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilaGardener

Interestingly, my favas are blooming their heads off this year but I haven't had a single pod set. Maybe all these temp swings are to blame . . .

I have the same problem here in central IL. Got off to a good start, then nothing.

Labradors2 · June 24, 2017

My fava's are almost ready to pick. I grew the Grano Violetto (seeds of which came from Remi's Sample Seed Shop). They all germinated and look good and healthy. Can't wait to taste them!

Linda

gorbelly · July 15, 2017

My aquadulce tasted better than the grano violetto.

I'm such a huge convert to green favas, even though they're a little work.

The pods are great, too. I boiled them in salt water, then grilled them and tossed them in a garlic vinaigrette. Great on toast, chopped up in a pasta salad. It really seemed like a shame to get such a small edible portion from all those favas, so I was thrilled to find recipes for the pods.

Next year, I'm trying Broad Windsor.

May 11, 2017	#138
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	My favas are flowering now. How long to get pods with edible beans? The Extra Precoce a Grano Violetto did flower a couple days earlier than the Aquadulce, despite having come up later. Both varieties are still under 2' tall. Last edited by gorbelly; May 11, 2017 at 09:50 PM.

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April 24, 2017	#137
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	RE: cool season I read that favas stop setting/flowering when temps get above 80. I think it might have been a little ambitious of me to try to grow them here. The change in seasons is usually pretty abrupt. Temps are hitting 80 later this week, actually, with possible highs near 90 over the weekend. Although temps go back down to the high 60s after the weekend. Maybe the mini heat wave this weekend will be good to speed up vegetative growth, and by the time flowers happen, temps will be OK for setting pods. If no luck this year, I'll try one more time by fall planting and letting them overwinter under mulch to see whether they get going sooner that way.

May 21, 2017	#139
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	First pod formation on extra precoce a grano violetto. No pods that I've seen yet on the aquadulce, although the aquadulce is flowering extravagantly. The flowers are probably three times as dense on the aquadulce as on the grano violetto. Bean aphids seem to gravitate toward the aquadulce. I haven't seen any at all really on the grano violetto. Of course, it could just be the location. The aphids aren't so bad that a few squirts of soapy water won't control them. In a couple of weeks, the insect population will really kick into gear, and there will be tons of aphid predators. I've already seen a couple of mummified parasitized aphids and a couple ladybugs.

May 21, 2017	#140
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	Interestingly, my favas are blooming their heads off this year but I haven't had a single pod set. Maybe all these temp swings are to blame . . .

May 21, 2017	#141
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	I have blooms too! I went out to search after reading the update. Amazing how the favas are on the same general timetable in different climates and weather conditions. Mine haven't grown though - they are still a little over a foot. I left them in the peat pot way too long. I should have planted them as six inchers. I was lazy and busy with maters. - Lisa

June 3, 2017	#142
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	I topped my favas today. As is, sunlight still filters through, so I can plant my hot weather veg under them while I give them time to produce/mature more pods. But if they grow any more, they'll create way too much shade.

June 22, 2017	#143
HoustonHeat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Houston Zone 9A Posts: 132	This is an interesting subject. I am new to gardening and so far have been focused on summer crops and finding heat tolerant varieties. It has hit me lately that my winters being mild I can grow other items and Fava could do great from November to March in Houston. I am going to try it.

June 22, 2017	#144
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	Oh, yeah, if I lived in your climate, I would grow cool-weather crops in the winter for sure. Favas are tough here. Our seasonal transition tends to be rather abrupt. I cut down the rest of my favas today, as the heat was making them look cruddy, and the newer pods were starting to shrivel and/or rot rather than mature. I did get enough beans (I ate them at mature size but still green) to get a couple decent meals out of them (risotto, mashed favas on toast). Plus grilled fava pods with olive oil and garlic. Yum. They were really, really delicious. In addition, I hope that the plants in the beds where they grew will benefit from their soil-building activities and the "green manure" they made. I may plant them this fall to see whether they'll overwinter until spring and get a head start. They really do mature a little too late and have pushed back my summer crops a little more that I want as a result. Aquadulce was more productive, had larger beans, and was tastier than Extra Precoce a Grano Violetto. And it was only later by about a week and a half.

June 22, 2017	#145
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Eeeeeeek... I want to start favas now. What are the chances they will endure summer temps up into 72 F or more. hahahahaha.

June 22, 2017	#146
NewWestGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 564	Gorbelly, your photos help me to identify my grocerystore-bought-fava beans-as-seeds variety, as Grano Vialetto, exactly same flowers. For those who want to try a generous seed source, I bought mine in Canadian Superstore, "extra large fava" from Australia. Excellent germination. They are blooming Now, planted in the shade, otherwise they could be earlier.

June 22, 2017	#147
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	I think most fava varieties have the same kind of flowers. Aquadulce and Grano Violetto both had identical looking flowers for me. I can't imagine many people are using Grano Violetto for commercial growing of favas. It's not very productive, and the beans are smaller than average for a fava.

June 24, 2017	#149
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,898	My fava's are almost ready to pick. I grew the Grano Violetto (seeds of which came from Remi's Sample Seed Shop). They all germinated and look good and healthy. Can't wait to taste them! Linda

July 15, 2017	#150
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	My aquadulce tasted better than the grano violetto. I'm such a huge convert to green favas, even though they're a little work. The pods are great, too. I boiled them in salt water, then grilled them and tossed them in a garlic vinaigrette. Great on toast, chopped up in a pasta salad. It really seemed like a shame to get such a small edible portion from all those favas, so I was thrilled to find recipes for the pods. Next year, I'm trying Broad Windsor.