Crops › Broad Beans
How to grow Broad Beans
in the UK
Sow February to November, plant out December, harvest June to August. About 120 days from seed to plate.
Broad beans are proper cracking to grow, honestly. They're a lovely legume, nice and easy, even for a beginner, and you can get a good crop on the plot. You'll be chuffed when you harvest your first lot.
Sowing
You've got options with broad beans, which is nice. For an early crop, sow indoors in February or April. Pop 'em about 5 cm deep in modules or small pots, two seeds per cell, then thin to the strongest seedling. You can pick up plug plants from the garden centre too, saves a bit of faff. Or, for overwintering, sow direct outdoors in October or November, about 15-20 cm apart in rows, 5 cm deep. They're tough, these ones.
Growing on
Once those indoor-sown seedlings are big enough, you'll want to harden them off for a week or two, then plant 'em out on the plot after the risk of frost has passed – that's mid to late May up here, earlier down south. Give 'em about 20 cm between plants and 60 cm between rows. The taller varieties will need a bit of support, a bit of string between stakes does the job nicely. You can grow the dwarf ones in big pots too, if you're short on space.
Looking after it
Keep them well watered, especially when the flowers are setting pods, like I always say. A bit of compost around the base helps keep the moisture in and feeds 'em a bit. Once the pods start forming properly, pinch out the tips of the plants. It helps stop blackfly, and encourages the plant to put energy into the beans, you know what I mean.
What goes wrong
Blackfly can be a right pain on broad beans, gathering on those growing tips. That's why pinching them out helps. If you catch 'em early, a blast of water can shift 'em. You might see chocolate spot too, especially in damp weather. It's fungal, so good air circulation helps. Don't worry too much though, the plants usually crop fine.
Harvest
You'll be harvesting your broad beans from June right through August, about 120 days after sowing. Pick the pods when they're plump and firm, but before the beans get too big and starchy. Best eaten fresh, honestly, that's when they're at their sweetest. If you get a proper glut, young beans freeze really well for later, just blanch 'em first.
I always chuck a few overwintering ones in, even if it's just a short row. Nothing beats that first harvest of broad beans in early summer, feels proper grand.
Dates for your plot
Type the first half of your postcode and the plant-out advice shifts to your area's typical frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Aquadulce Claudia This one's a cracking choice for getting an early crop, as it's built for overwintering. You can sow it in autumn directly or get a head start indoors in spring. | No club votes yet |
| The Sutton A lovely dwarf variety, perfect if you're a bit short on space or want to grow in big pots. Sow these indoors early in the year for best results. | No club votes yet |
| Masterpiece Green Longpod This is a lovely old heritage variety that gives you some proper long pods. Get these started indoors in spring to give them a good start. | No club votes yet |
| Stereo If you've had trouble with diseases before, this one's a good bet for a healthier crop. Sow it indoors in spring to get it going. | No club votes yet |
| Witkiem Manita A bit different this one, it gives you lovely white beans instead of green. Grow these indoors first to get a good strong plant. | No club votes yet |
| Crimson Flowered This variety looks absolutely stunning with its deep red flowers, a proper showstopper on the plot. Sow indoors in spring and enjoy the beauty as well as the beans. | No club votes yet |
| Imperial Green Longpod If you're after a really big harvest, this one's a fantastic choice, giving you lots of long pods. Sow these direct in spring for a heavy yield. | No club votes yet |
| Masterpiece Green Longpod This is a lovely old heritage variety that gives you some proper long pods. Get these started indoors in spring to give them a good start. | No club votes yet |
| Express As the name suggests, this is a good one if you want an early harvest from a spring sowing. Get these straight into the ground as soon as the weather allows. | No club votes yet |
| Bunyard's Exhibition For those who like to grow a proper big bean, this heritage variety produces impressive large pods. Sow direct and you might even have something for the show bench. | No club votes yet |
| Super Aquadulce An improved, super hardy variety that can handle a bit more cold, making it great for early spring direct sowing. It's a reliable choice for a good crop. | No club votes yet |
| Stereo If you've had trouble with diseases before, this one's a good bet for a healthier crop. Sow it indoors in spring to get it going. | No club votes yet |
| Sweet Lorane If flavour is top of your list, 'Sweet Lorane' delivers lovely, very sweet green beans. A cracking maincrop variety to sow direct. | No club votes yet |
| Luz de Otono This heritage variety from Spain is excellent for a later autumn sowing, giving you beans when others are done. It's a robust choice for overwintering. | No club votes yet |
| Green Windsor A true heritage classic, 'Green Windsor' is known for its excellent, traditional broad bean flavour. Sow direct for a reliable and tasty crop. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Broad Beans seeds
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Cook the harvest
A vibrant Italian-style snack that celebrates broad beans at their sweetest. Freshly podded beans are quickly blanched, double-podded for their brilliant green flesh, then crushed with lemon, mint and olive oil and piled onto toasted sourdough smeared with creamy ricotta. This is the kind of thing you make in high summer when the beans are young and tender and you want something that tastes exactly like the season.
20 min · easyA deeply savoury Japanese-inspired noodle bowl where broad beans are the main event — tossed through soba noodles in a punchy miso and sesame dressing alongside spring onions and crisp radishes. It comes together in well under thirty minutes and works either warm or at room temperature, making it ideal for weeknight cooking or packed lunches. The miso dressing clings to everything and makes this taste far more considered than the effort involved.
20 min · easyThis is a proper summer pasta — bright green from a generous quantity of broad beans, salty from crisp pancetta and fragrant from tarragon, which has a particular affinity with both. The broad beans are not decoration here; they are blended into a silky sauce and also stirred in whole, so every forkful is full of them. It's ready in under thirty minutes and tastes like considerably more effort than it is.
27 min · easyThese chunky fritters are packed with double-podded broad beans and salty halloumi, golden on the outside and yielding within. They come together quickly in one bowl and cook in under ten minutes, making them a brilliant weeknight supper or lazy weekend brunch. Serve with a spoonful of cool yoghurt and a drizzle of chilli oil and you have something genuinely special.
27 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: potatoes, brassicas
Questions people ask
When do you sow Broad Beans in the UK?
Sow Broad Beans from February to November. Plant out December, after the last frost.
How long does Broad Beans take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 120 days, with the harvest June to August.
Which Broad Beans varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Aquadulce Claudia, The Sutton, Masterpiece Green Longpod, Stereo and more.
Track your Broad Beans from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.