I'm planting mine when I put the peas in.

Dan 2007:

You should try to get them in the ground as early as possible. Last year, I found an online source that said, for each day's delay planting after April 1st, there was roughly a 2% decline in yield. This is due to the strong photoperiodism in favas. Later planting results in smaller and smaller plants.

I think I posted a link to this on the bean/pea forum in a fava thread. You might try searching for it if intested. Or, if you want, I can try to find the data again later, don't have time right now to do it, unfortunately.

I planted mine last year on March 30th, and they did just fine, germinating well and weathering several boughts of very cold weather and snow after sowing and germination.

I'm in the N.W. suburbs of Detroit, so we have the same weather.

reign - Thanks for the input

denninmi - I will have to look for the link. I was planning on starting them in peat pots in my coldframe and then planting them out once they grow a couple inches. Does this help them at all?

I'm also going to look for that link. I'm a little behind you, Denninmi. So April 1st for you may translate to April 10 pea planting time for me. But I'd like to make sure. ;)

I sow broad beans in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. They will grow in temperatures as low as 40°F.

Here is a link that might be useful: HarvestToTable.com

Dan 2007,

The link in the bean, pea and other legume forum is below. I found it interesting to read how much cold fava's will take. In the U.K. many grow them over the winter. Certainly they will take some frost. I lost some here in BC's Fraser Valley this winter but we did get almost record cold (-15C or 5F). I have planted again and they are sprouting under the soil, even though we have had a number of quite sharp frosts and snow.

Bob

Here is a link that might be useful: Why not try favas?

stephen_albert - thanks for the minimum temp, we are still below 40f very often so I will have to wait. I am thinking of starting them in the coldframe near the end of the month and plant them out once we have stopped going below 40f.

Bob - Wow, that is one long post for fava's, Lots of info to be had. I wish our winters were record cold at -15c here in Ontario :-)

Dan-

I put mine in today. Nights are still a little below 40 here. But I was at the Farmer's Exchange yesterday. I asked the guys there and was told if my ground is workable plant them now if I want the crop. But if I'm only interested in turning it under later, anytime.

reign - I am going to start them this weekend in peat pots in my cold frame, not so much for heat but to keep the squirrels from eating them. Thanks for the insight.

In the old days peas would be the very first seed in the ground, but that was before people started discovering all these exotic winter greens. I am myself a fan because they extend the crop season so much, and they are also very nutritious. Favas belong to the very first wave, together with arugula, miner lettuce and corn salad, the day after the ground thaws if you have good soil. Peas and lettuce, IMHO, need 2-4 weeks after that. Except for a small fraction of plants to make new seed (they are dear), favas can be eaten as greens (potherb) starting in April in Michigan.