GrowSabzHow to grow broad bean in pots
Also called Fava Bean, Horse Bean, Windsor Bean, fava bean · Vicia faba
باقلا
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 6–8hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 0.8 Levery 3 days, 10 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 15–20°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 10 L25 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 70–85days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 3.5 kgper 20 L pot
Broad Bean keeps producing once it starts. First picking comes around day 70, and the plant then crops for roughly 45 more days — but only if you keep picking. Crop left on the plant is a signal to stop making more.
Short answer
Grow broad bean in a 10 litre container at least 25 cm deep, watering about 700 ml per 10 litres of soil every 3 days, and keep temperatures between 15 and 20 °C. First harvest comes 70–85 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does broad bean need?
10 litres and 25 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 10 L | 25 cm | Use pots with drainage |
| Grow bag | 10 L | 25 cm | Fabric breathes well |
| Open ground | — | 30 cm | Space well |
| Raised bed | 20 L | 30 cm | Deep soil helps root development |
Watering
How often should you water broad bean?
Every 3 days through the growing season, at about 700 ml per 10 litres of soil — every 2 days in hot weather, every 4 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Drip irrigation or base watering works best.
Too little water
- wilting leaves
- stunted growth
- poor pod set
Too much water
- yellowing leaves
- stunted growth
- root rot
Avoid: water on leaves (can promote fungal diseases); standing water; shallow frequent watering.
Climate
Can you grow broad bean where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 15 – 20 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | -5 – 25 °C |
| Germinates above | 5 °C — best at 15 °C, about 10 days |
| Flowers drop | above 25 °C |
| Sunlight | 6–10 hrs/day, best 8 |
| Frost | Medium sensitivity |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 25 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for broad bean? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Broad Bean growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for broad bean
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why broad bean fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 10 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Broad Bean wants about 700 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Wetting the leaves
Overhead watering in the evening leaves foliage damp overnight, which is exactly the condition fungal disease needs. Water the soil, early in the day.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 25 °C flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Planting it beside Onion
Onions and other alliums can inhibit the growth of broad beans.
Companions
What to plant with broad bean
Good neighbours
Broad beans fix nitrogen, which can benefit potatoes, and their roots help break up the soil.
Tall corn plants can provide some shade for broad beans in hot climates, and broad beans enrich the soil with nitrogen.
Repels nematodes and other harmful soil pests, protecting the roots of broad beans.
Acts as a living mulch, suppressing weeds and keeping the soil cool and moist. Their shallow roots don't compete with broad beans.
Known to deter bean weevils and aphids, common pests of broad beans.
Keep apart from
Onions and other alliums can inhibit the growth of broad beans.
Garlic can stunt the growth of broad beans.
Fennel is known to have an inhibitory effect on the growth of many plants, including broad beans.
Peas and broad beans are both legumes and can compete for similar soil nutrients and share common diseases.
Members of the brassica family (like cabbage, broccoli, kale) can stunt the growth of broad beans.
Problems
Broad Bean pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Black Bean Aphid humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, black insects that cluster on new growth, especially stem tips and undersides of leaves, causing stunted growth and distorted leaves. They excrete sticky honeydew.
Chocolate Spot humidity >80% · temp 10-20
Fungal disease causing small, reddish-brown spots on leaves, stems, and pods, which can enlarge and merge, especially in cool, wet, humid conditions.
Rust humidity >70% · temp 18-25
Causes small, raised, reddish-brown pustules on leaves and stems, which later turn dark brown/black. Can lead to defoliation and reduced yield.
Downy Mildew humidity >85% · temp 10-20
Yellowish patches on the upper leaf surfaces, with greyish-purple fungal growth on the undersides. Thrives in cool, moist conditions.
Bean Weevil humidity any · temp >20
Larvae bore into developing beans inside the pods, leaving small holes in mature beans. Damage often seen after harvest in stored beans.
Botrytis Grey Mould humidity >90% · temp 15-25
Soft, greyish-brown mould on flowers, pods, and stems, leading to rot. Favored by high humidity, cool temperatures, and poor air circulation.
Broad Bean Virus humidity any · temp any
Stunted growth, mosaic patterns, yellowing, or distortion of leaves. Can be spread by aphids or contaminated seeds/tools. No cure, remove infected plants.
Slugs Snails humidity >80% · temp 10-20
Irregular holes in leaves, especially young seedlings. Silvery slime trails are a clear sign. Can devastate young plants quickly.
Harvest
When to harvest broad bean
First picking falls between day 70 and day 85, and the plant then keeps producing for about 45 days. Pick often — what you leave on the plant signals it to stop making more.
How to tell it's ready
- Pods are plump and firm
- Beans inside are well-formed and visible as bumps
- Pods are bright green
How much to expect
Storing it: In pods in the refrigerator for up to a week, or shelled and blanched then frozen for longer storage.
Questions
Broad Bean: common questions
How long does broad bean take to grow?
About 90 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 70 and day 85. It then keeps producing for roughly 45 more days. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does broad bean need?
At least 10 litres and 25 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 20 litres of soil and 30 cm of depth.
How often should I water broad bean?
About 700 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 3 days in normal weather — every 2 days when it is hot and every 4 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
What temperature does broad bean need?
It does best between 15 °C and 20 °C and survives from -5 °C to 25 °C. Seed needs soil above 5 °C to germinate, ideally around 15 °C.
Can I grow broad bean in winter?
It tolerates cold better than most, down to about -5 °C, so a sheltered spot or a cold frame will often carry it through.
How do I know when broad bean is ready to harvest?
Pods are plump and firm; Beans inside are well-formed and visible as bumps; Pods are bright green. Once picked: in pods in the refrigerator for up to a week, or shelled and blanched then frozen for longer storage.
How much does one broad bean plant produce?
Roughly 3.5 kg from a 20 litre container, or about 8 kg in open ground. Larger containers give proportionally more, up to a point.