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Watching the seasonal BBC program Gardeners’ World on YouTube each week has some of us sorely disappointed with our fava beans. Gardeners in the UK grow fava (or broad) bean plants that reach 5-6’ and produce 10-12” pods full of big plump beans. The fava beans we’ve grown are less impressive (I’m embarrassed to share how much less). So we’ve decided to try doing things a bit differently this year.

We’re trying a new variety called Ianto’s from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. This variety is advertised as having “massive beans borne on impressive 6-foot-tall plants.”

We’re also seeding our fava beans indoors. (We typically plant them in the soil the first Saturday in April.) The beans were planted in 6-packs and placed under lights on March 18. The germination was astonishingly good, and they emerged significantly faster than our outdoor sowings.

The seedlings were planted in the garden on April 8 (see photo above). Their first week inflicted the classic New England spring indignity of overnight lows of 30° and daytime highs of 90°… though they’re still standing tall. Watch this space!

In a reprise of last year, Opening Day 2023 ushered in the discovery of a very large rock in one of the garden beds. David is pictured above seated on the rock after removal, joined by Steven, Suzy, and Carol.

Very few of the garden beds have not been dug deeply. We only do this once, thereafter we simply fork the soil to loosen it. The perimeter beds at the back of the garden are the last to be dug. Our fingers are crossed for clear sailing from here.

The seeds we planted 3 weeks ago are off to a solid start. The lettuces and spinach are ready to begin hardening off. The broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower are stronger from their transplanting into 6-packs last week. And the leeks, onions and shallots were transplanted into small 6-packs (and given a haircut) this week. We also seeded our peppers!

On the weekend of November 5 & 6, Elisabeth & Alan visited her brother Phil, who gardens a plot in the community garden at the North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier.