Fava plants remind me of an okra plants since the pods grow upright instead of hanging down like a green bean. I put fava beans in their own sow and grow category. Even though they are a “bean”, they are spring veggies like peas.
Outdoor Sowing Tips:  1) Soak the seeds for about 6 hours to speed up germination and/or wrap the seeds in a damp paper towel and put them in a ziplock overnight. 2) Sow the seeds about 1 to 2 inches deep when the soil temperature is between 45°F and 65°F for germination. For fava beans, sow 4 seeds per square foot which mean 6 inches apart. 3) Cover the area where you planted the seeds with netting or a row cover to keep the birds from eating the seeds.
Indoor Sowing Tips: 1) Soak the seeds for about 6 hours to speed up germination and/or wrap the seeds in a damp paper towel and put them in a ziplock overnight. 2) Put the seeds in seed trays under grow lights and consistently water them until the fava bean shoot is about 2 to 3 inches high. 3) Carefully remove the seedling and transplant them with the spacing noted above.
Most seed packets don’t encourage indoor sowing for fava bean seeds, but I do it all the time. I find that the germination rate is quicker and better. Also, the birds don’t fuss with the seedlings.
Growing Tips: 4) Fava bean seedlings and plants like consistent moisture. 5) Hill the soil around the fava bean seedling so they don’t sit in too much water especially during the rainy season. 6) No matter what I am planting above ground in the spring, I am ready for temperature swings with my garden fabric and hoop tunnels. 7) Since fava beans typically grow about 4ft tall in a bush format, I usually tie them to a stake to provide support as the stems can get heavy with the fava pods. Each plant will have several stems.
Just like peas, fava beans are in the Legume Family and are a Pod veggie.
