These wonderful large beans mature in 75-85 days when sown in the spring, or 6 months if fall sown. The plants grow 90-120cm tall. The light green pods, which contain 6-7 large pale green seeds each, shell easily. Windsor broad bean seeds are superb for family gardens and easy for small children to handle. Broad Windsor is intended for growing as a food crop. The seeds it produces are large and succulent, unlike the small-seeded fava we offer as a cover crop. This large variety will fix nitrogen in your soil, so it’s perfect for planting in the fall, harvesting in the spring, and following with nitrogen loving crops like Brassicas, lettuce, or spinach. Fresh or dried, broad beans must be cooked before eating in order to rid them of potentially toxic alkaloids. The young, tender leaves can be eaten raw, or cooked like spinach. Broad beans are one of the world’s most ancient and widespread food crops.
How To Grow, Timing: Direct sow before the first frost date in mild winter areas. Direct sow late winter to mid-spring in other areas (tall, soft plants won’t withstand winter well). Optimal soil temperature: 10-21°C. Enrich the soil with compost prior to planting.
How To Grow, Starting: Use a broad bean or combination inoculant to provide a source of nitrogen. Sow seed 5cm deep, 15cm apart in double rows. Each set of double rows should be 1m apart. Germination takes 10-14 days, depending on conditions.
How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5. Keep overwintered plants weeded. Provide stakes or strings between rows to stop plants from falling over.
How To Grow, Harvest: Pick when the pods appear plump and begin to droop from the weight of the seeds. Shell (like peas) and cook or use in soup. For dried beans, wait until the pods start to shrivel.
Matures in 75-85 days.
Approx: 20 Seeds.
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