When to Plant Broad Beans in Cairns, Tropical Guide

Also called fava beans, faba beans.

Not recommended for the Tropical zone

Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like in Tropical

In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.

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  1. Planting calendar
  2. How to grow
  3. Local tips and varieties
  4. Pests and problems
  5. Harvesting
  6. Storing and preserving
  7. Other zones and related crops
  8. Common questions

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This Broad Beans guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Days to harvest
about 13 weeks
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Water
Moderate
Spacing
25 cm apart
Soil pH
6.0–7.5

Broad beans are a cool-season legume and one of the few crops that thrive in winter across most of Australia. They fix atmospheric nitrogen, improve soil fertility, and are one of the oldest cultivated crops.

Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

Broad Beans

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Planting Calendar for Tropical

Broad Beans is not recommended for Tropical.

Broad beans need a cool winter to set pods and will not crop in the tropics. Grow snake beans or winged beans instead.

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How to Grow Broad Beans in Tropical Australia

Soil
Well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Tolerates heavier soils than common beans. Enriched with compost but not fresh manure.
Salt
Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
pH Range
6.0-7.5
Sunlight
Full sun to light shade (minimum 5 hours). Tolerates partial shade better than most beans.
Spacing
25cm apart, 75cm between rows
Watering
Moderate water needs. Water during dry spells in winter. Increase watering during flowering and pod fill. Avoid waterlogging. Less thirsty than common beans.
Good companions
Sweet Corn (following season), Lettuce, Dill, Spinach, Potato
Keep away from
Fennel, Tree Onion
Grow before it
Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)
Grow after it
Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)

Give the bed 3 turns before legumes go back in. Beans and peas fix nitrogen, so they leave the bed richer than they found it.

Members see the exact salt threshold, how much harvest it loses as salt rises, and what to grow instead. See what members get

Tropical Growing Tips for Broad Beans

Recommended Varieties

  • Not recommended, too warm

Key Challenges

  • Insufficient cold for proper development
  • Poor pod set in warmth
  • Chocolate spot in humidity

Pro Tips

  • Honest assessment: do not grow broad beans in the tropics
  • Grow snake beans, winged beans or cowpeas instead. They thrive in tropical heat
  • If you must try, the dry season at altitude (e.g., Atherton Tablelands) is the only hope

Pests and problems for Broad Beans in Tropical

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Browse the full pest library →

Harvesting Broad Beans

When ready: Pods are plump, 15-20cm long, and beans inside are visible as bumps. For fresh eating, harvest when beans inside are bright green and about thumb-nail sized. For drying, leave pods on plant until completely brown and dry.

How to harvest: Snap or cut pods from stem. Start harvesting from the bottom of the plant (earliest pods). For fresh eating, pick regularly to encourage continued production. Inner skin of individual beans can be removed after blanching for best texture.

Storing and preserving broad beans

How to keep it
  • Freezing (Double-peeled). Shell beans from pods. Blanch shelled beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Ice bath. Slip off inner grey skin by pinching (optional but improves texture and colour dramatically). Spread on tray to flash-freeze, then bag. Keeps: 12 months.
  • Drying. Leave pods on plant until brown and dry. Shell beans and spread on trays in well-ventilated area for 2-3 weeks until completely hard. Store in airtight jars. Soak overnight and cook as needed. Keeps: 12+ months.
  • Broad Bean Falafel (Freeze). Soak dried broad beans overnight. Process with garlic, cumin, coriander, parsley, salt and flour. Form patties, flash-freeze on tray, then bag. Fry from frozen. Keeps: 6 months frozen.

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What members get

  • Soil and weather from your nearest station
  • An email when it's time to sow
  • Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
  • Price history and price alerts
  • Pest risk alerts for your area
  • Full salt and canning detail

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Common Questions About Broad Beans

When do you plant broad beans in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

What else is broad beans called?

Broad beans is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it fava beans, faba beans. Same plant, same growing advice.

When should I plant Broad Beans in Cairns?

Broad beans need a cool winter to set pods and will not crop in the tropics. Grow snake beans or winged beans instead.

What soil temperature do Broad Beans need?

Broad Beans germinate best when soil temperature is between 6°C and 24°C.

How do I know when Broad Beans are ready to harvest?

Pods are plump, 15-20cm long, and beans inside are visible as bumps. For fresh eating, harvest when beans inside are bright green and about thumb-nail sized. For drying, leave pods on plant until completely brown and dry.

What are the best Broad Beans varieties for Cairns?

Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Not recommended, too warm.

What grows well with Broad Beans?

Good companion plants for Broad Beans include: Sweet Corn, Lettuce, Dill, Spinach, Potato.

Are broad beans salt tolerant?

Only a little. Broad beans are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.