These Regeneratively Grown Faba (Broad Bean) Seeds are grown in Bridgetown, South of Perth. 100g Bags.
The Regenerative Gardener's Secret Weapon
Faba Beans (Vicia faba) is a species in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. They are a powerhouse legume known for their incredible ability to enhance soil fertility and promote sustainable growing practices, boosting your garden's health naturally.
Whether you’re looking to rejuvenate depleted soil or prepare for your next planting season, faba beans are an essential tool in any regenerative gardener’s toolkit. After the growing season, simply cut plants at soil level and incorporate the plants back into the soil to add organic matter and nutrients.
In a regenerative garden, planting Faba beans in your patch has the following benefits:
- Nitrogen Fixation: Faba beans work in harmony with soil microbes to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form your plants can use, reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers.
- Soil Health Improvement: Their deep root systems improve soil structure, enhance drainage, and prevent erosion.
- Weed Suppression: As a cover crop, faba beans provide dense ground cover, shading out weeds and reducing the need for herbicides.
- Biodiversity Support: These vibrant legumes attract beneficial insects, from pollinators to natural pest predators, creating a balanced garden ecosystem.
How to use Faba Beans in a Regenerative Garden:
Faba beans are a nitrogen-fixing legume, meaning they form a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria to capture nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert it into a form usable by plants. This natural fertilisation enriches the soil, reducing or eliminating the need for synthetic fertilisers. They help boost productivity for cash crops like potatoes.
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Planting Faba Beans as a Cover Crop
Timing: Sow faba beans in early autumn ahead of potato planting season. Chop and drop faba beans at point of flowering, 3-4 weeks before planting potatoes to allow time for organic matter to decompose and nutrients to integrate into the soil.
Spacing: Plant seeds 2-4 inches apart, in rows spaced about 18 inches apart.
Soil Prep: Faba beans are hardy and thrive in most soils, but well-drained soil is ideal.
2. Nitrogen Fixation for Soil Fertility
Faba beans fix atmospheric nitrogen through nodules on their roots. This nitrogen remains in the soil even after the beans are harvested or tilled under, providing essential nutrients for nitrogen-hungry crops like potatoes. Plant with potatoes at a rate of 1-2 seeds per potato or 4-6 per square metre.
This adds a different set of non competing microbes that draw nitrogen from our free atmosphere.
3. Using Faba Beans as Green Manure
Before flowering, cut the faba beans at the base and leave them on the surface as mulch or lightly till them into the soil.
This adds organic matter, improves soil structure, enhances water retention, and increases microbial activity – all essential for healthy potato crops.
4. Crop Rotation with Potatoes
Rotate your cash crop of potatoes with faba beans annually.
Year 1: Plant faba beans in your intended potato plot.
Year 2: Plant potatoes in the enriched soil where faba beans grew. The nitrogen boost leads to healthier plants, larger yields, and reduces the need for chemical fertilisers.
5. Additional Benefits
Weed Suppression: Faba beans provide a dense ground cover that limits weed growth.
Soil Structure: The deep roots help break up compacted soil, improving drainage and aeration – key for potato tuber development.
Pest Control: Attracts beneficial insects that help manage pests, creating a balanced ecosystem.
Products recommended for growing with Faba Beans:
The Protein Shake - Fish Hydrosolate