Zone 7 · Beans & Peas Growing Guide

When to Plant Broad Beans / Fava
in Zone 7

The cold-hardiest legume. In mild-winter zones, plant in fall for a spring harvest — the seeds overwinter in the ground. Rich, buttery flavour unlike any other bean.

Plant outdoors
Feb 15 – Mar 15, Oct 1 – Nov 15
Start indoors
Direct sow
Last Frost
~Mar 15
Days to harvest
80–100 days
Difficulty
Easy
Ready to harvest — Zone 7
Harvest window: Apr – May

Planting Calendar

In Zone 7, Broad Beans / Fava should be planted outdoors Feb 15 – Mar 15, Oct 1 – Nov 15, after the average last frost date of approximately Mar 15.

Fall planting overwinters and produces April–May harvest. Spring planting also works.

Care Guide

Sunlight
Full sun to partial shade · 4–8 hrs/day
Watering
Regular
Spacing
6–9 inches
Soil
Well-draining, fertile, slightly alkaline
Days to maturity
80–100 days
Soil pH
6.0–7.5
plant tip · Zone 7

Fall planting overwinters and produces April–May harvest. Spring planting also works.

Feeding Schedule

How often
none needed
Feed type
none
Key timing
n/a

Legume that fixes its own nitrogen. No feeding required — they actually improve soil for following crops.

Companion Planting for Broad Beans / Fava

What you plant next to broad beans / fava makes a real difference — some plants actively help, others compete or attract pests.

Grows well with
  • Brassicas
  • Carrots
  • Potatoes
  • Corn
Keep away from
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Leeks

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Common questions

In Zone 7, broad beans / fava has two planting windows: Feb 15 – Mar 15, Oct 1 – Nov 15. The spring window opens after your last frost around Mar 15. The fall window lets you grow a second crop before first frost around Nov 15. Fall planting overwinters and produces April–May harvest. Spring planting also works.
Zone 7 has an average last spring frost of approximately Mar 15 and a first fall frost around Nov 15. These dates vary by specific location — use your ZIP code in the plant app for precision based on the nearest NOAA weather station.
Good companion crops for broad beans / fava include Brassicas, Carrots, Potatoes, Corn. Avoid planting near Onions, Garlic, Leeks, which can compete for nutrients or attract pests.
Broad Beans / Fava typically takes 80–100 days from transplant or direct sow to harvest in Zone 7. Expected harvest window: Apr – May.

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Broad Beans / Fava in other zones
Crop Guides