Plants form 2-foot high bushes. Mature pods have shiny, red, round beans. 30 to 40 inches apart. Plants prefer a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5 and require ample moisture. Harvest green when pods begin to show seed development and continue at 5-day intervals.
Fava beans do best in moist, rich soil.
Unlike green beans, they do not thrive in hot weather but like cool weather, even tolerating freezing temperatures. Seed in the fall for an early spring crop. Germination takes 2 weeks. Plants respond to irrigation. Fava beans mature in 65 days as a green bean and 90 to 100 days for dry beans.