Broad bean seeds and plants at Dobies. They are very easy to grow. They’re a delicious bean you take from the pod and cook and enjoy! There are several different types including a dwarf variety which can be grown in pots.
Plants the seeds either in the ground outside or start off in pots in the greenhouse. They’re quite hardy though.
They’re an ancient plant with remains of Broad Beans being found in Israel which date back as far as 6,500 BC.
Plant in a sunny spot and hopefully not a windy place. They will bend over in the wind and grow still but it means the pods are often touching the ground and this enables slugs or snails to attack the bean pods.

They’re fairly touch though and you’ll get lots of pods off each plant with the pale white with a dark spot flowers looking subtle. Most people pinch out the soft leaves right at the top when it gets to about 4ft tall as this is what the blackfly will really attack. They’re fairly resistant though and should be ok even if you don’t. The beans are best picked often as when they get bigger their skins are more noticable. Some people rub off the outer skin before cooking, but it’s a lot of fuss really!
They’ll germinate any time from March onwards even in cold soils as low as 2’C so there’s no need to fuss over them – but if you’re using a patch of the garden for an over winter crop starting them in pots indoors means you can put them out later on after your first crop has gone. You can also sow some in the autumn. You can start them in cloches outside or use cut off fizzy pop bottles as mini incubators over the seed you’ve planted to give them a good start! If you do plant in the autumn make sure it’s not in a frost pocket as the flowers will not set if they’re frozen off – a bit of fleece thrown over might help them though.

They don’t need a huge lot of attention – watch out for blackfly and water in dry weather but they’re not as thirsty as the runner beans!
You can stake the plants if you like to keep them tidy. Pick the beans and use fresh or freeze or dry them. Save some seeds for next year if you like. Boil and serve with your dinner, or add to stews and soups!

Broad Bean Express Plants (Vicia faba) Pack of 12 Pot Ready Plants – SAVE £3.95! £9.95
Early maturing broad bean producing many well-filled pods 20cm (8″) long containing 5 or 6 plump, greenish-white seeds. Flavour and quality very good. Award of Garden Merit. Trialled, tested and recommended by the National Institute of Agricutural Botany. Full growing instructions included. Mid April Ideal for deep freezing. Harvest when seed shape is visible through the pod.HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A (For growth, healthy hair, skin, bones, teeth and eyes as well as resistance to respiratory infections), C (Anti-ageing, wound healing, decreasing blood cholesterol and prevention of infections. Assists the body in absorbing iron), and E (Antioxidant important for anti-ageing [particularly for skin]). Source of protein and fibre.

Broad Bean Express Plants (Vicia faba) Pack of 6 Pot Ready Plants £6.95
Early maturing broad bean producing many well-filled pods 20cm (8″) long containing 5 or 6 plump, greenish-white seeds. Flavour and quality very good. Award of Garden Merit. Trialled, tested and recommended by the National Institute of Agricutural Botany. SAVE £3.95 on pack of 12 plants! Full growing instructions included. Mid April Ideal for deep freezing. Harvest when seed shape is visible through the pod.HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A (For growth, healthy hair, skin, bones, teeth and eyes as well as resistance to respiratory infections), C (Anti-ageing, wound healing, decreasing blood cholesterol and prevention of infections. Assists the body in absorbing iron), and E (Antioxidant important for anti-ageing [particularly for skin]). Source of protein and fibre.

Broad Bean Aquadulce Claudia – ORGANIC SEEDS Average Seeds 35 – ORGANIC SEEDS £2.05
Early maturing with long pods and high yields. In our opinion, the best variety for autumn sowing to harvest late the following spring. RHS Award of Garden Merit Winner. For early crops sow late October-November or in January, in a warm sheltered position. Sowings for summer cropping should be made February-March. Sow in double rows 23cm (9″) apart, 5cm (2″) deep, 23cm (9″) apart allowing 90cm (3′) between each pair of rows. Pinch out the plant tops when in full flower to obtain better-filled pods and to avoid infestation with black fly. Double row 6m (20′). Harvest when seed shape is just visible through the pod.HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A (For growth, healthy hair, skin, bones, teeth and eyes as well as resistance to respiratory infections), C (Anti-ageing, wound healing, decreasing blood cholesterol and prevention of infections. Assists the body in absorbing iron), and E (Antioxidant important for anti-ageing [particularly for skin]). Source of protein and fibre.

Broad Beans Statissa Seeds (Vicia faba) Average Seeds 60 £1.95
A high quality variety, producing an abundant crop of short, dark green pods filled with nutritious and tasty white seeds. Shows good tolerance to Top Yellow Virus 2. Sowings for summer cropping should be made February-March. Sow in double rows 23cm (9″) apart, 5cm (2″) deep and 23cm (9″) apart allowing 90cm (3′) between each pair of rows. Pinch out the plant tops when in full flower to obtain better filled pods and to avoid infestation with black fly. Double row 6m (20′). Ideal for deep freezing. Harvest when seed shape is visible through the pod.HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A (For growth, healthy hair, skin, bones, teeth and eyes as well as resistance to respiratory infections), C (Anti-ageing, wound healing, decreasing blood cholesterol and prevention of infections. Assists the body in absorbing iron), and E (Antioxidant important for anti-ageing [particularly for skin]). Source of protein and fibre.

Broad Beans The Sutton Seeds (Vicia faba) Average Seeds 60 £1.65
The earliest cropping, bushy dwarf variety, ideal for autumn or spring sowing in the smaller garden or exposed areas where taller varieties may be blown over. We recommend that the tips of plants are pinched out when the first pods have set. RHS Award of Garden Merit Winner. Dwarf Variety. For early crops sow late October-November or in January, in a warm sheltered position. Sowings for summer cropping should be made February-March. Sow in double rows 23cm (9″) apart, 5cm (2″) deep and 23cm (9″) apart allowing 90cm (3′) between each pair of rows – 60cm (2′) for The Sutton. Pinch out the plant tops when in full flower to obtain better filled pods and to avoid infestation with black fly. Double row 6m (20′). Ideal for deep freezing. Harvest when seed shape is visible through the pod.HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A (For growth, healthy hair, skin, bones, teeth and eyes as well as resistance to respiratory infections), C (Anti-ageing, wound healing, decreasing blood cholesterol and prevention of infections. Assists the body in absorbing iron), and E (Antioxidant important for anti-ageing [particularly for skin]). Source of protein and fibre.

Broad Beans Dreadnought Seeds (Vicia faba) Average Seeds 65 £1.60
The pods are of extraordinary size and length, packed with excellent quality white beans. Sowings for summer cropping should be made February-March. Sow in double rows 23cm (9″) apart, 5cm (2″) deep and 23cm (9″) apart allowing 90cm (3′) between each pair of rows. Pinch out the plant tops when in full flower to obtain better filled pods and to avoid infestation with black fly. Double row 6m (20′). Recommended for deep freezing and for exhibition. Harvest when seed shape is visible through the pod.HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A (For growth, healthy hair, skin, bones, teeth and eyes as well as resistance to respiratory infections), C (Anti-ageing, wound healing, decreasing blood cholesterol and prevention of infections. Assists the body in absorbing iron), and E (Antioxidant important for anti-ageing [particularly for skin]). Source of protein and fibre.

Broad Bean Danko Seeds Average Seeds 60 £1.60
A compact-growing, very early-maturing broad bean, producing good crops of upright little pods that are packed with delicious little white beans. Intermediate variety. Full growing instructions given on packet. HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A, C & E. Source of protein and fibre.Harvest when seed shape is just visible through the pod.

Broad Bean Express Seeds (Vicia faba) Average Seeds 65 £1.60
Early maturing variety producing many well-filled pods about 20cm (8″) long containing 5 or 6 plump, greenish-white seeds. Flavour and quality very good. Award of Garden Merit. Recommended by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany. Sowings for summer cropping should be made February-March. Sow in double rows 23cm (9″) apart, 5cm (2″) deep and 23cm (9″) apart allowing 90cm (3′) between each pair of rows. Pinch out the plant tops when in full flower to obtain better filled pods and to avoid infestation with black fly. Double row 6m (20′). Ideal for deep freezing. Harvest when seed shape is visible through the pod.HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A (For growth, healthy hair, skin, bones, teeth and eyes as well as resistance to respiratory infections), C (Anti-ageing, wound healing, decreasing blood cholesterol and prevention of infections. Assists the body in absorbing iron), and E (Antioxidant important for anti-ageing [particularly for skin]). Source of protein and fibre.

Broad Bean Imperial Green Longpod Seeds (Vicia faba) Average Seeds 65 £1.50
Produces pods some 38cm (15″) long, each containing up to 9 large green beans. We recommend this long podded, heavy cropping variety. Award of Garden Merit. Sowings for summer cropping should be made February-March. Sow in double rows 23cm (9″) apart, 5cm (2″) deep and 23cm (9″) apart allowing 90cm (3′) between each pair of rows. Pinch out the plant tops when in full flower to obtain better filled pods and to avoid infestation with black fly. Double row 6m (20′). Ideal for deep freezing. Harvest when seed shape is visible through the pod.HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A (For growth, healthy hair, skin, bones, teeth and eyes as well as resistance to respiratory infections), C (Anti-ageing, wound healing, decreasing blood cholesterol and prevention of infections. Assists the body in absorbing iron), and E (Antioxidant important for anti-ageing [particularly for skin]). Source of protein and fibre.

Broad Beans Aquadulce Claudia Seeds (Vicia faba) Average Seeds 60 £1.45
Early maturing with long pods and high yields. In our opinion, the best variety for autumn sowing to harvest late the following spring. RHS Award of Garden Merit Winner. For early crops sow late October-November or in January, in a warm sheltered position. Sowings for summer cropping should be made February-March. Sow in double rows 23cm (9″) apart, 5cm (2″) deep, 23cm (9″) apart allowing 90cm (3′) between each pair of rows. Pinch out the plant tops when in full flower to obtain better filled pods and to avoid infestation with black fly. Double row 6m (20′). Harvest when seed shape is just visible through the pod.HEALTH BENEFITS: Source of vitamins A (For growth, healthy hair, skin, bones, teeth and eyes as well as resistance to respiratory infections), C (Anti-ageing, wound healing, decreasing blood cholesterol and prevention of infections. Assists the body in absorbing iron), and E (Antioxidant important for anti-ageing [particularly for skin]). Source of protein and fibre.