How to Sow Broad Beans
Watch as Sarah demonstrates how to sow broad beans in rootrainers.
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Broad Bean 'Stereo'
The best tasting, small, tender broad bean you can grow, excellent raw or cooked. More
| 35 seeds 110111 | £2.50 |
In stock
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Following the recent relocation of our warehouse, please allow up to 5 working days for despatch.
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| 10 seedlings 510460-10 | £9.95 |
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| 20 seedlings 510460-20 | £17.95 |
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Or buy this as part of our Year Round Vegetable Seed Collection.
More Details
The best tasting, small, tender broad bean you can grow, excellent raw or cooked.
Bred for thin skins on the actual beans so you won't ever need to skin them. Best for late winter or early spring sowing. Highly recommended.
| Genus | Vicia |
| Group/Species | fava |
| Variety | Stereo |
| Type | Hardy Annual |
| Common Name | Broad Bean, Fava Bean |
| Border Position | Front |
| Soil Type | Fertile |
| Site | Full Sun |
| Moisture | Well-drained |
| Height | 1.2m (4ft) |
| Spacing | Plant seed 5cm (2in) deep, 20cm (8in) apart in double rows 20cm (8in) apart. Sow extra seeds at the end of the row for transplants. |
| Sowing, Seeds, Planting | Sow beans in pots under cover in February for planting out in spring or direct into the ground in March, April and even early May, for harvests throughout the summer. Late autumn sowings can also be overwintered for earlier crops the following year. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot for your beans and sow into soil that is well-drained and fertile – forking in some well-rotted manure or compost before sowing will help to improve soil conditions. Sow 5cm (2in) deep and 20cm (8in) apart, ideally in double rows, spaced 20cm (8in) apart. If a second double row is needed this should be positioned 60cm (2ft) away from the first. Sow a few extra seeds at the end of the rows to fill in any gaps produced by seeds that don’t germinate. |
| Care Tips | Taller varieties will need staking, use strings attached to sturdy stakes inserted at 1.2m (4ft) intervals. Smaller cultivars usually support each other, especially when they are planted in double rows. Unless rainfall has been high, soak plants well at the start of flowering and again two weeks later. Further watering may also be needed on light soils. When the lowest truss of blossom has formed small pods, pinch out the tips of the beans to promote fruit set and reduce problems with blackfly. These tips can be steamed or stir-fried and eaten |
| Storing | These freeze well. |
| Harvesting | June - August. Harvest pods once beans have begun to visibly swell inside, regular picking (ideally 2 or 3 times a week) will keep production going for about 4-6 weeks. Small beans are sweeter and more tender that large ones. Pods can also be picked when they are immature to be cooked and eaten whole. |
| Cooking Notes | Try a delicious Samphire with Fresh Peas and Young Broad Beans recipe for a starter at a dinner party… |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- Sow Under Cover/Plant Indoors
- Direct Sow/Plant Outdoors
- Flowers/Harvest
Advice & Videos
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Late sowing broad beans and peas
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A European bean feast at Glemham House
At Glemham House kitchen garden in Suffolk, beans are dried for use all through the winter, not left on the compost heap.
Barbecued broad beans with pecorino recipe
Broad beans served simply with Pecorino cheese and a glass of wine - a perfect starter or snack for a warm midsummer weekend.
Samphire with fresh peas and young broad beans recipe
Harvest samphire from mud flats or salt marshes in July - or ask your fishmonger. This makes an excellent first course.
Direct sowing seeds
Learn how to get great results when direct sowing hardy annual seeds.
Delivery
Plant Delivery - When in stock, please allow up to 3 weeks for delivery.
Seeds Delivery - Following the recent relocation of our warehouse, please allow up to 5 working days for despatch.
Click here to find out more information about our delivery rates and times.
Broad Bean 'Stereo' reviews
Average based on 11 reviews
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Reviewed 2nd August 2019 by Miss Taylor
Poor germination and the plants really did not establish themselves well. |
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Reviewed 1st August 2019 by Susan They have produced very few beans |
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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Diana What can I say only 14 germinated our of packet of 42 seeds . Good strong plants and cropped well. Beautiful tasty beans and managed to freeze a few for the winter. |
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Reviewed 31st July 2019 by Robin Weak growth and poor slug resistance but tasty. Will try once more but... |
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Reviewed 23rd November 2018 by Gayle Didn't grow more than 12 inches |
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Reviewed 14th November 2018 by Donna Excellent crop... Will plant again next Spring.. |
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Reviewed 11th October 2018 by Elizabeth We have bought the Sarah Raven broad bean seedlings two years running. Last year they were a great success and cropped well. This year the seedlings arrived in good condition and looked healthy but struggled to put on strong growth and cropped late and poorly. This may be partly due to our growing them in the same place, although with new compost and partly due to the hot dry weather this summer. |
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Reviewed 3rd October 2018 by Katie Ditto as above....too late for photos, they have been and gone!! |
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Reviewed 19th September 2018 by Mary
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Reviewed 19th September 2018 by Diane
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Reviewed 19th September 2018 by Tina Very poor crop, hardly any grew. Such a shame. Will not buy again Reply from the Sarah Raven Team:"Thank you for leaving your review. We are very sorry to hear of your disappointment with your Broad Bean seedlings and have refunded you for them." Posted 7th November 2018 |
