Carmelino

Family: Fabaceae Legume

Sweetly fragrant at first touch, Carmelino fava beans develop into plump pods that open to reveal tender, velvety interiors with a mild, distinctly buttery flavor.

The beans are prized for their creamy texture—ideal for fresh enjoyment, as well as for silky purées and vibrant spreads when you want their gentle sweetness to shine. Grow Carmelino for a cool-season harvest that feels as lush as it tastes, with pods that look as good as they perform in the garden.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 60 DaysHabit: Bush

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Direct Sow
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Apr 25th
Harvest Begins	Jun 24th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	60
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Bush
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	55
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	32
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Carmelino’s beans lean sweet and buttery with that cloud-soft, velvety texture that turns silky fast—perfect when you want creaminess without bulk. Use them either freshly peeled for a delicate, clean bite or puréed so they coat and cling, not run, on hot food.

Best Uses

fresh snap-and-eat favas or blanched/peeled beans tossed with warm butter and salt
silky fava purée for spooning alongside pork, lamb, or grilled fish
bright spreadable mash with lemon zest and olive oil
quick purée for pasta sauce base—thick enough to cling without heavy dairy

Flavor Profile

sweet, mild legume flavor buttery, faintly fragrant at first touch tender, velvety interior that creams easily clean, light grassy finish

Kitchen Pairings

lemon olive oil butter mint pecorino romano pancetta

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease most commonly affects Vicia faba (fava beans), and how can I treat it?

In fava beans (Vicia faba), black aphids and chocolate-brown aphid colonies often show up on new growth and can spread virus-like problems; rinse plants with a strong spray and remove heavily infested shoots, then apply insecticidal soap directly to colonies. Watch also for rust (orange-brown pustules on leaves): remove the worst leaves and space plants for airflow so new leaves stay dry, since rust worsens when foliage remains wet.

How often should I water Vicia faba during the main growing phase?

During active growth, keep the soil consistently evenly moist—about 1 inch of water per week total, adjusted for rainfall—so pods set well and the plants don’t drop flowers. Water at the soil line (not the leaves) and let the top 1 inch of soil lightly dry between waterings to avoid soggy conditions that encourage leaf diseases.

How do I know when Vicia faba ‘fava beans’ are ready to harvest?

For best eating quality, harvest when pods are filled but still tender: young pods typically feel plump and the beans inside are about the size you’d want for shelled favas. If you wait until pods are fully hard and the beans look very mature, the crop will become tougher; plan to start harvesting around ~60 days from sowing (often sooner for baby beans).