Broad beans can be harvested between May and October depending on the sowing. Find out below how long the growing season is for broad beans and how you can tell when it's time to harvest.
When is the harvest time for broad beans?
The harvest time for broad beans is between May and October, depending on the sowing. Their pods are ready to harvest when they are 15-20 cm long and the soft beans inside appear the size of a thumbnail. Earlier sowing reduces the risk of pest infestation and crop loss.
When are broad beans sown?
Big beans tolerate light frost and can therefore be sown outdoors at the end of February. (You can find detailed information about sowing here.) If you don't mind a little extra work, you can even plant the delicious broad beans at home in mid-January. However, the broad beans can also be sown later. Sowing until mid-April is definitely possible.
From sowing to fruit
The growing season of broad beans is three and a half to four months, depending on the variety. This means that if you sow your broad beans in mid-February, you can start harvesting in mid-June. The harvest usually lasts several weeks. If you don't sow your broad beans until mid-April, the start of the harvest season will be postponed to mid-August.
Knowing when broad beans are ready to harvest
The broad beans can be harvested when the pods are fully grown, i.e. when they have reached a length of 15 to 20cm (depending on the variety). The beans should be soft but thick and the pods should be juicy green and plump. The individual beans should be about the size of a thumbnail.
The disadvantage of a late harvest period
The earlier you sow your broad beans, the better. Broad beans that are sown late and therefore harvested late are often infested with black lice. If this happens during the flowering period, the aphids can cause great damage and, in the worst case, the harvest may even fail. If you sow early, you can usually avoid this problem. If the pests only appear when the plants are already bearing beans, they usually have no influence on the crop yield.
Harvesting broad beans
This is what you need:
- scissors or a sharp knife
- a bucket
- Gloves for sensitive hands
Cut the ripe beans directly on the plant. Leave even thinner pods hanging and harvest them at a later date.
Tip
You can blanch fresh broad beans or fry them. This means they taste particularly delicious and only require a very short cooking time.
