Last edited on 1 Nov 2026. View history

Scottish broad bean Scottish Broad Bean

Vicia faba

A variety of fava bean

How to sow Scottish broad bean: Direct seed outdoors

Sun requirement for Scottish broad bean: Plant in Full Sun

A very good cropping broad bean that stays green when cooked. Valuable in cold areas. Sow in autumn or early spring and transplant at 25 cm in two rows per bed. The growing tips and leaves are good to eat, and picking the tips directs energy into filling the beans. Came to New Zealand with Scottish settlers in 1863 and was kept at Waimate.

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Scottish broad bean facts

Lifespan

Annual living and reproducing in a single year or less

Growing Scottish broad beans

  1. Dig compost into the bed 2 weeks before sowing
  2. Set or refill beer traps for slugs and snails 1 week after sowing every week
  3. Put in stakes and string 4 weeks after sowing
  4. Weed between the rows 4 weeks after sowing
  5. Check for aphids on the tips 8 weeks after sowing every week
  6. Pinch out the tips once pods set 3 weeks before first harvest
  7. Pick pods while the beans are small at first harvest every week
  8. Cut plants down and leave the roots in 6 weeks after first harvest

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Ecological requirements

Data from the FAO EcoCrop database for Vicia faba L.

Family / Taxonomy Magnoliopsida
Rosidae
Fabales
Leguminosae
Optimal temperature 18 - 28 °C
Absolute temperature 5 - 32 °C
Optimal rainfall 650 - 1000 mm/year
Absolute rainfall 250 - 2600 mm/year
Optimal soil pH 6.0 - 7.0
Absolute soil pH 4.5 - 8.6
Crop cycle 100 - 150 days
Max altitude 2700 m
Life form herb
Life span annual
Habit erect
Optimal soil depth medium (50-150 cm)
Optimal soil texture medium, organic
Optimal soil fertility high
Optimal soil drainage well (dry spells)
Optimal soil salinity low (<4 dS/m)
Photoperiod short day (<12 hours), neutral day (12-14 hours), long day (>14 hours)
Optimal light very bright to clear skies

Licensed under CC-BY-4.0 .

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) ECOCROP, the crop ecological requirements database. Version 1. https://data.apps.fao.org/catalog/dataset/ecocrop. Accessed through the CGIAR Climate Action Data Hub, https://cgiar-climate-data-hub.github.io/catalog/ecocrop_1/.

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