Ianto’s Return fava
$4.00
(Vicia faba)
Large-seeded fava, selected in Oregon for overwintering ability there. Produces a beautiful range of seed colours, from pale green to dark purple. Named for Ianto Evans, an enthusiastic collector and promoter of favas; it may be a descendant of varieties he collected in Central America in the 1970s. Grows about 2’/60 cm tall in our garden. 130 days to maturity. 20 seeds/packet.
Note: the fourth picture in the gallery shows four successive harvests of dry seed taken a few days apart from the same patch of favas. As you can see, the purple plants are later maturing; they also have more of a tendency to regrow after bearing a first crop and dying back.
In stock
Plant same time as peas; do not like heat. Soak at least overnight to germinate before planting. Sow with the hilum (on the end) down, 2” deep, 4” apart for leaves; or for beans, in rows 6-12” apart with seed 8-12” apart or on a grid 8” apart. If lodging is a problem, put stakes at the corners of the patch and string around it. Water at flowering time and while pods are small to increase yield; stop when they start to dry down. Can eat young greens like spinach, either whole plant, or by pinching out tips after plant has produced five flower whorls, which will also improve bearing and reduce aphid problems. Immature pods can be eaten before they get stringy [about 3” long]; shelly beans when pods are clearly full. Dry beans can be harvested when pods turn black and shrivel and seeds cannot be dented with a thumbnail. Soak before cooking; tannins in seed coat can be reduced by pre-soaking before cooking in a baking soda solution (1 tsp./ lb. beans).