Sunday, May 1, 2011

Favas will grow

Twelve plants, four months, fourteen pods. Eating fresh favas? Not exactly priceless. 
I think i'll stick with limas. 
Favas have their own charm, i'm sure, when you need a bean that will survive a chilly winter. Limas won't do that. Limas won't tint a hard boiled egg a soft, blushing pink either. 
That's a job for Crimson Flowered Favas.
But can you grow favas in Hawaii? Can.
At 1000 feet or lower they might not grow very well.
Try planting limas instead.

11 comments:

Jane said...

Wow! Your favas at least flowered and produced a few beans! But 4 months is a long time. I hope your other beans and peas were really productive this spring.

Julie said...

They flowered up a storm Jane but i really didn't expect them to set a single pod. In fact i only noticed the pods after i had given up hope and was getting ready to pull the plants out to make room for something else! Four months is a long time for a crop that is not perennial.

Mr. H. said...

Interesting observation. Me, now I can't grow a decent lima bean if my life depended on it.

Julie said...

Plants that grow themselves are always best, don't you think Mr. H? The trick is finding out which plants will grow in our own gardens.
Preaching to the choir, i think ; )

Rowena said...

I would have never even thought to try growing them in the islands, but at least now I know how you managed! Over here they seem to grow like weeds...I even bought seeds to let them grow through winter but never got around to actually sticking them in the ground. Fava beans have been showing up at the market since last month and the last time I got some they were 1.50€ a kilo!

Julie said...

Sometimes you get lucky Rowena, and sometimes not ; )
Now that i think about it, one of the reasons i wanted to try favas was the greens. Never did get around trying them, tho.

Shaheen said...

I quite like broad beans, thats what we call them in the U.K, so much superior to the frozen variety.

Julie said...

I've just found out that Crimson Flowered Favas are a late producing variety. Perhaps i'll spare some space for an earlier variety next year mangocheeks. I'll know where to look for a good recipe ; ))

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Julie, the fava beans look really nice. I mainly grow the french beans, but my daughters also grow some purple beans on poles, which do well even in our hot summer. I have been off blogging for a while. Just started again in a relaxed way.

Linda Woodrow said...

Just because you can do something...

If I get my timing and my variety just right, I can get a decent crop of favas here in subtropical northern NSW. Then, if I get my picking stage, preparation and my recipe just right I can make something the family will actually eat out of them. I'm a little less tropical than you, so there's a little spot in early spring when there's no limas or other beans. Otherwise I wouldn't bother.

Julie said...

Titania, sorry, thought i responded earlier to you. Welcome back from your break! Purple podded beans are one of my faves ; )

Ah, so then favas hit your sweet spot Linda. The perfect seasonal treat, timed just right, nice!
Thanks for stopping by, i'm looking forward to following your blog ; )