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RayR · March 11, 2012

Here Naysen, I found a link to an article that illustrates what effect Fava has on the soil. Of course this shows how Fava can be used interplanted with corn in alkaline soils to improve nutrient uptake in the corn plants, but you can see how acid the exudes are from Fava roots. The experts say Fava yields best in slightly acidic soil, near neutral, which works fine up here since our native soils are typically PH 6.5-7.3 and they buffer extra acidity pretty well. That's not to say Fava won't grow in more acid soils, but I suspect that the yield of beans would much less.

Fava is pretty much like peas, it likes cool to moderate temperatures, once it gets into those sweltering hot days in the 80's and up, it wants to go to seed and die.

March 11, 2012	#24
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,464	Here Naysen, I found a link to an article that illustrates what effect Fava has on the soil. Of course this shows how Fava can be used interplanted with corn in alkaline soils to improve nutrient uptake in the corn plants, but you can see how acid the exudes are from Fava roots. The experts say Fava yields best in slightly acidic soil, near neutral, which works fine up here since our native soils are typically PH 6.5-7.3 and they buffer extra acidity pretty well. That's not to say Fava won't grow in more acid soils, but I suspect that the yield of beans would much less. Fava is pretty much like peas, it likes cool to moderate temperatures, once it gets into those sweltering hot days in the 80's and up, it wants to go to seed and die.