THE CHINESE BEANS - Growing Chinese Vegetables in Your Own Backyard - page 62

beans in a pod. The flowers, as with most beans, are not very conspicuous and are the
usual white.
How to Grow
Getting started. Growing fava beans gives you a chance to get a jump on your bean
crop because they are much hardier than green beans. In spring, you can plant them as
soon as the ground can be worked. Unlike other beans, favas do not thrive in hot weath-
er (one of the reasons they're so successful in England). In the United States, we can ap-
proximate the English climate by planting in very early spring in cool-climate areas and
in the fall for a spring crop in warmer regions. Their upright habit and early short season
make fava beans particularly suited to succession cropping. Plant favas when you plant
your snow peas and you'll be able to replace them with green beans, cabbages, beets,
and similar vegetables.
Planting. Fava beans grow best in a rich soil with plenty of moisture. Dig in compost
and some balanced fertilizer before planting. The large seeds are easy to handle. Sow
them 1 to 1½ inches deep, 4 to 6 inches apart, and in rows 18 to 36 inches apart.
Growing needs. When the pods begin to form, side-dress with the same mixture you
used when sowing. Keep well watered and you'll have no problems (unless you have
an early, hot summer).
DID YOU KNOW?
Fava beans have been found with Bronze Age artifacts in Switzerland and Italy; they are depicted on
Egyptian tombs and mentioned in the Iliad; archeologists unearthed them on the site of ancient Troy. The
Romans offered fava beans, along with bread and circuses, to the populace, who then used them as bal-
lots for voting. By the first century A.D., fava beans had been introduced to China, whose people have
regarded them highly ever since.
For most people, fava beans are an excellent addition to the diet; they are very high in protein and
folate, and lower in calories than other beans. They are also a good source of iron, phosphorus, and other
minerals.
Some people of Mediterranean ancestry carry a genetic allergy to raw and under-cooked beans. If
you're one of these unlucky people, you won't be able to eat them unless you're careful to cook them
thoroughly. Fava beans are nonetheless very popular in Italy, Portugal, and Spain.
How to Harvest
You can harvest fava beans at three different stages: as edible pods, edible shell beans,
and dried beans.