Broad Windsor Fava Bean is an old English heirloom that has been cherished by gardeners for generations, prized for its large, creamy beans packed with protein and mild, versatile flavor. These upright, non-branching plants grow 24, 36 inches tall and mature in just 75 days, producing abundant pods each containing 5, 6 substantial beans. Cold-hardy through zones 3, 9, they thrive in cool spring and fall weather, making them a practical choice for northern gardeners and those seeking a dual-purpose crop for fresh eating, drying, or freezing. The variety's nitrogen-fixing roots also enrich your soil while you harvest.
4
Full Sun
Moderate
3-9
36in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Large, high-protein beans with a mild flavor that accepts spices and herbs beautifully set this heirloom apart from smaller fava varieties. The robust, upright plants are surprisingly productive for their compact size, reaching just 2, 3 feet tall with excellent disease resistance to bacterial blight and powdery mildew. Beyond the kitchen, these beans work hard in the garden, fixing nitrogen to improve soil health for whatever you plant next, making them as valuable to your soil as they are to your table.
These beans excel both fresh and dried. Young pods can be eaten whole like snap beans, while mature pods are shelled for large, tender beans that work beautifully in salads, soups, and stews. The mild flavor pairs naturally with Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and thyme, or with warming spices in curries and braises. Many gardeners save the dried beans for winter cooking, where their creamy texture and protein content make them substantial enough to build meals around.
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Sow seeds directly into the garden 1, 2 inches deep in spring as soon as soil is workable, or in late summer for a fall crop. Seeds will germinate in 7, 14 days when soil temperature is between 45, 70°F. Plant in succession every two weeks if you want continuous harvests rather than a single glut of beans.
Pick pods when they feel full and firm but before they dry completely on the plant, typically around 75 days from sowing. For fresh eating, harvest when pods are plump and green; the beans inside will be tender and creamy. For dried beans, allow pods to mature fully on the plant until they turn brown and papery, then pick and shell them. You can also blanch and freeze fresh beans at their peak for later use.
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“Broad Windsor Fava Bean carries the stamp of English horticultural tradition, a variety selected and preserved over centuries for its exceptional bean size and reliable production. As an heirloom, it has been saved and replanted by home gardeners, farmers, and seed custodians who recognized its value not just as food but as a living connection to agricultural heritage. The variety's journey from English kitchen gardens to seed catalogs worldwide reflects how heirloom crops survive: through the hands and dedication of people who choose to grow them year after year.”