Broad Bean (Vicia faba) Gardening
Broad Bean (Vicia faba) is a species of bean in the family Fabaceae, native to North Africa and southwest Asia. It is also known as Fava bean, Field bean, Bell bean or Tic bean. The term fava bean is usually used in English speaking countries, except in UK, where broad beans is used instead. Broad beans are often cultivated as a cover crop to prevent soil erosion, and fix nitrogen in the soil.
Broad bean plant is an annual, vigorous, erect plant, 0.5-1.8 m tall, with stout stems. The glaucous, gray-green leaves are without tendrils, 10-25 cm long, pinnate with 2-7 leaflets. The five-petaled flowers are 1-2.5 cm long, with the standard and keel petals white in color, and the wing petals white with a black spot. Its fruit is a broad, leathery pod, initially green maturing to blackish-brown. Each pod contains 3-8 seeds, 15 mm broad and 10 mm thick.
Broad beans are eaten while they are still young and tender. The yuong leaves can also be eaten raw or cooked like a spinach. The beans are fried, causing the skin to split open, and then salted, or spiced to produce a savory crunchy snack, which are popular in China, Peru, Columbia, Mexico and Thailand.
Broad bean plant grows well in full sun, and a deep, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-6.8. Pinching back the top of the broad bean plant when the first pod begin to form will give a higher and more uniform yield. Pick the beans when the pods appear plump.
Pests and diseases are Black bean aphids, rust and chocolate spot.
Broad Bean (Vicia faba)
Author: Zyance (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 Generic)
Broad Bean (Vicia faba)
Author: Rasbak (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
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