Broad bean
Vicia faba
A vegetable, sown February to May. It needs 4 jobs a year.
In September: nothing to do.
Garden Helper, the free plan, holds up to 10 plants. You sign in with a link we email you, with no password.
Broad bean, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow under cover. | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Sow outdoors. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Plant out. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none | none | none | none |
| Sow another batch of broad beans. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none | none | none | none |
| Pinch out the top of the broad bean. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Pick the broad beans. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Put up supports for the broad bean. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none | none | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Sowing and planting
Sow under cover in February, 5cm deep. Strong source: RHS.
Sow outdoors March to May, 5 to 7.5cm deep, 15 to 23cm apart, rows 45cm apart. Strong source: RHS.
Plant out March to April, 15 to 23cm apart, rows 45cm apart. Strong source: RHS.
Sow another batch of broad beans
Gardeners call this successional sowing.
Sow batches a few weeks apart to keep beans cropping through summer.
Usually March to April. Strong source: RHS.
Pinch out the top of the broad bean
Gardeners call this stopping (growth capping).
Nip off the top tips so the plant puts its energy into the pods; it also deters blackfly.
Usually April to May. Strong sources: RHS and Gardeners’ World.
Pick the broad beans
Usually May to August. Strong source: RHS.
Put up supports for the broad bean
Push stakes in at each row corner and every 1.2m, then run string round at 30cm intervals.
Usually May. Moderate source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Broad bean” comes from.