Successful bean cultivation

The fava bean is an easy-to-grow, undemanding legume . Eaten raw or cooked, it belongs to the botanical group of vetches, hence its scientific name Vicia faba. It is a plant whose fruit is a pod. When immature, the pod can be eaten whole (this is also the case for snow peas or, more simply, green beans). Its seeds are more often enjoyed fresh or dried. From an agronomic point of view, Fabaceae have the incomparable advantage of nourishing the soil with nitrogen. Indeed, plants belonging to this family have the remarkable ability to fix and then restore the nitrogen they store in their roots. A phenomenon that did not escape our distant agricultural ancestors. Observing better yields with combinations of cereal and Fabaceae crops, they cultivated them together. Archaeological excavations of ancient strongholds establish that these two families traveled and evolved together over the ages.

The first remains of broad beans found in the Near East date back to 7000 BC! Closer to us geographically, we find numerous traces of them in Greece and Portugal dating back to the Bronze Age. The broad bean was introduced to China from the 2nd century AD. This seed was so popular, so important, and so closely linked to agriculture that it gave its name to the family to which it belongs: the Fabaceae. The word "vegetable" itself, before taking on the meaning we know today, referred to the fleshy covering of the broad bean pod. It was widely consumed in ancient Rome. The gens Fabia, a very important Roman surname, took its name from the broad bean. There, it was considered sacred, as it was seen as a symbol of life. It was also a staple food for peasants long before the discovery of the potato and the bean. Indeed, the fava bean was then used to garnish cassoulets, soups, and porridges. In France during the Middle Ages, it was widely consumed in winter by monks. It was one of the plants whose cultivation was recommended in the gardens of the royal domain by the capitulary De Villis*. The fava bean reached North America at the beginning of the 17th century when Bartholomew Gosnold, explorer of New England, planted it on the Elizabeth Islands. Thirty years later, this plantation regularly supplied the colony of Massachusetts and the city of Plymouth. Long considered the "poor man's meat," fava beans provided the protein resources necessary for a balanced diet for centuries. As "wealth" grew, they fell into disuse in favor of a meat-based diet. Currently, five times less of it is produced in France than in 1880.

The term "broad bean" comes from the Latin "faba" meaning the same plant.

Fava beans are floury with a pronounced nutty flavor and a smooth texture.

Fava beans are an excellent source of folic acid and a high source of fiber. They also provide good levels of vitamins B, C, and E, as well as essential minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. In addition, fava beans are said to have diuretic, energy-boosting, nutritional, and tonic properties.

Before being replaced by a porcelain bean, the seed of the bean garnished King's cakes.

Green beans: White Windsor, Ratio , The Sutton, Aguadulce with very long pod. Purple beans: Extra early a grano violetto, Karmazin , Crimson flowered.

• Difficulty level : 1/3
• Density : 20 plants/m².
• Life cycle : Annual
• Mode of reproduction : Sexual.
• Type of pollination : Preferential autogamy but allogamy by insects possible.
  
• Weight per 1000 seeds : Approximately 1.3 to 1.4 kg.

• Climate zone and hardiness : The bean appreciates temperate climates.
• Soil type : Fresh, deep soil.
• pH : Neutral.
• Moisture : Well-drained soil.
• Exposure : Sunny
• Temperature : The bean likes average temperatures, neither too high nor too low.
• Frost resistance : The bean does not survive temperatures below -5°C.

• Soil preparation : Add vegetable fertilizer or very decomposed compost the fall before planting.
  
• Transplanting : No transplanting is necessary.
• Watering :
  • Frequency: Regular watering.
  • Quantity: Moderate watering.
  • Period: Throughout the culture.
• Tools : Watering can and hoe or hoe.
• Hoeing / weeding / earthing up / mulching : Hoeing and weeding are essential. Hilling up the bean plants is also strongly recommended. Earthing up the bean plants will help support the long stems and prevent them from leaning when they are laden with heavy pods. The plant's root system will also be strengthened.
• Winter protection : The bean is not grown in winter and therefore does not require winter protection.
• Harvest period : From May to July.
• Part of the plant : The seeds and even the pods of the bean are eaten.
• Stage : Depending on individual tastes, the pods are harvested very young to be eaten green and juicy or larger when ripe, to enjoy the grains.

Although not necessary, it is possible to pinch the stems of broad bean plants. The benefit is twofold: Pinching the stems between the 5th and 7th flower clusters helps prevent aphid attacks, which generally settle at the top of the plant. This also promotes the development and quality of the pods.

• Directions: Keep the beans cool, frozen or dried if they were harvested ripe.
• Duration: Fresh, the seeds should be consumed as quickly as possible, but frozen or dried, they can be stored for several months.

• Culinary : Fava bean hummus is one of the many recipes that can be discovered. The seeds can be eaten at all stages. After shelling them, they generally need to be boiled to remove the seed coat. They can simply be eaten raw (harvested very young when the skin around the seed is not yet thick), crunchy with salt or with a drizzle of olive oil. They can also be steamed, cooked with bacon, in cream, in a casserole dish or in a pan. Dried, they can still be eaten in soup.
  

Sowing in October in mild regions such as Brittany or the south of France allows for a harvest a month early and the beans are less attacked by black aphids.