Broad Bean Seeds

Broad beans are a classic British vegetable, delicious steamed as part of a hearty meal or served cold as part of a salad. They are traditionally one of the earliest of the summer vegetables to be ready to harvest, whether seed is sown in autumn or spring. Broad beans are easy to grow even for the least green fingered of gardeners, developing into tough plants producing beans full of fibre, protein and nutrients. There are two main types of broad beans: Longpods and Windsors (short pods). Longpods are hardier, making them suitable for autumn or very early spring sowings and produce kidney-shaped beans. Windsor varieties produce rounder beans in shorter, broader pods. Broad Beans can generally be sown directly into the soil in the autumn or February to April in spring, although it can vary for certain varieties, so check the instructions on our product pages or the back of the seed packet. They grow best in a fertile, well-drained soil with plenty of well-rotted garden compost or manure. Do not grow broad beans in the same spot two years in a row to avoid issues with soilborne foot and root rot diseases.