When to sow Broad Bean (Spring-sown) in the UK
Broad Bean (Spring-sown) is sown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the window is much the same wherever you garden in the UK.
Sowing and harvest dates by region
Broad Bean (Spring-sown) is grown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the same dates apply across the whole UK and every region below reads the same. Where a plant's timings do follow the frost, Plot shifts them from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Sow indoors | Sow outdoors | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| South Coast and Channel | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| South East and Home Counties | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| East Anglia | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| Wales and West Coast | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| Northern England | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| Northern Ireland | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late January to late February | late January to mid May | early April to early May | early June to late August |
About the earliest indoor dates
The indoor sowing dates shift with your local last frost, because that is what decides when the seedling can go outside. Under glass, though, the limiting factor is daylight rather than frost. In the mildest regions the table pulls this sowing back into midwinter, and a UK windowsill in January has neither the light nor the day length to raise a sturdy plant — you get pale, drawn seedlings that never catch up. Unless you are growing under supplementary lighting, treat mid February as the practical earliest sowing for broad bean (spring-sown) however mild your area.
Growing notes
Sow 5-7.5cm deep from February to mid-May, in single rows 45cm apart or double rows 23cm apart, repeating every three weeks for a longer picking season from June to August. Pinch out the growing tips once the first pods set to shake off blackfly.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 20 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 45 cm
- Plants per m²
- 11
- Days to maturity
- 100 days
- Yield per plant
- 0.4 kg
- Sun
- Full sun
- Frost tender
- No
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 25 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 30 cm
- Balcony rating
- 3 out of 5
Succession sowing
Worth sowing in batches. Sow again every 21 days, up to about 3 sowings in a season, for a longer picking window rather than one glut.
What usually goes wrong
- black bean aphid
- chocolate spot
- broad bean rust
- pea and bean weevil
Companion planting
Grows well near
- potato
- summer savory
Keep away from
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for broad bean (spring-sown).