When to plant fava beans in Yakima, WA

Plant fava beans from seed, directly in the garden in Yakima, Mar 27 – May 1.

Easy Plant seeds in the ground

Why these dates

Yakima's typical last spring frost is May 8. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop can go in about 6 weeks before that.

Columbia Basin and low eastern valleys. Hot, dry summers and quick spring warm-up. Warm crops go in earlier than west of the Cascades, and irrigation matters more than rain.

Difficulty: Easy
Sun: Full sun
Spacing: 6 inches apart
Planting depth: 1 to 2 inches deep
Frost: Handles light frost
First harvest: About 85 days after planting

Step by step

Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
Plant seeds Mar 27 – May 1, 1 to 2 inches deep, 6 inches apart.
Keep the soil evenly moist until sprouts appear, which can take one to three weeks in cool soil.
Harvest: Pick pods when they bulge with beans but are still green. Shell the beans and slip off the pale skins for the sweetest flavor.

Varieties that do well here

Broad Windsor
Aquadulce Claudia (for fall sowing)
Vroma

Watch out for

Black aphids gather on the growing tips in late spring. Pinch off the tips once pods start forming.

Unlike other beans, favas love cool weather. West of the Cascades they can also be sown in October to overwinter for an early crop.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Yakima, WA?

Typically May 8. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by May 27. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Yakima Air Terminal.

Is it too late to plant fava beans in Yakima?

The spring planting window runs through May 1. Later plantings tend to struggle in summer heat.

How long until I can harvest fava beans?

About 85 days after planting. Pick pods when they bulge with beans but are still green. Shell the beans and slip off the pale skins for the sweetest flavor.

Also plant in Yakima around the same time

Planting dates for fava beans in nearby areas

Pendleton, OR Mar 20 – Apr 24
The Dalles, OR Mar 20 – Apr 24
Wenatchee, WA Mar 20 – Apr 24
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA Mar 20 – Apr 24
Walla Walla, WA Mar 20 – Apr 24
Moses Lake, WA Mar 20 – Apr 24

Full planting calendar for Yakima · Fava beans in every city