How to Grow Broad Beans in Pots

Broad beans, also called fava beans, grow in long, plump seed pods similar to green beans. Shelled broad beans look a bit like very small lima beans and have a slightly nutty flavor. Broad beans normally thrive best in open ground outdoors, though not all gardeners have this kind of space. With a bit of care, you can successfully grow broad beans in pots, though this can be tricky.

3-gallon terra cotta pots with flood trays
Rich potting soil
Peat moss
Pot trellises
Rubber mallet

Instructions

- 1
  Mix together equal parts rich potting soil and peat moss for each of your 3-gallon pots. Fill each pot with the mixture to about 2 inches below the rim.
- 2
  Set a pot trellis into one side of each pot. Pound it into the soil with sharp taps from a rubber mallet. The trellis should not shake or tilt at all.
- 3
  Dig a 1-inch-deep hole in the center of each pot. Drop in a single broad bean seed and cover it gently with soil. The seed should have 6 inches of space all around it.
- 4
  Set each pot on a flood tray and water the soil well. Empty extra water from the flood tray immediately. Broad beans like moist, well-drained. Wait for the top of the soil to dry before watering again.
- 5
  Set the pots in a warm, sunny area. Broad beans need bright light for about four hours a day. When they sprout, wait for the first vine to reach 4 inches long. Gently wrap the vine around the bottom of the trellis. As the vine grows, continue to weave it in and out of the trellis.
- 6
  Mulch your broad beans with peat moss every month. Since they are in pots, nutrients may become scarce. Help them along by making sure they have plenty to feed on.

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