Fava Bean plant profile
Vicia faba
An annual vegetable for full sun.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant Fava Bean
Fava beans are a cool-season crop you direct sow. Oregon State says to plant in spring as soon as the soil can be worked; in mild-winter areas, cold-hardy varieties can be sown in fall (UC suggests fall sowing) to overwinter for a spring harvest.
The calendar shows this cited seasonal window as an approximate band. It does not convert the season into frost-adjusted dates.
Open Fava Bean in my garden calendarShows the source-backed planting season, not frost-adjusted dates.
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5.6 to 7
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Spacing
- 5 to 8 in apart, rows 24 in
- Days to maturity
- 100 to 120 days (from sowing)
Common problems
Watch for these
Also watch for: chocolate spot, white mold.
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Beans, Fava (Vicia faba)
Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture (Oregon Vegetables). Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-13.
- Fava Beans
University of California Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County. Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-13.