Broad Bean Crimsonia 'Karmesin' [Vicia faba]

The annual broad bean 'Crimsonia' is a particularly hardy, medium-early and short-growing legume with red flowers. Robust, high-yielding and forms 4 to 5 green seeds per pod. It does not need any supports. The taste is exceptionally mild. Ideal for direct sowing, pot cultivation possible, sowing spring-autumn, good for mixed culture, harvesting the leaves and pods.

 Description 
The broad bean 'Crimsonia', formerly also called 'Karmesin', is an old, short-growing and medium-early legume. Broad beans are among the oldest cultivated plants in Europe and were cultivated long before the introduction of American beans (Phaseolus). The broad bean is also considered an important green manure because it penetrates the soil very well and enriches the soil with nitrogen. Due to its valuable ingredients, it is still an important food and feed today. This variety has attractive red flowers and an excellent mild taste. The medium-length pods ripen evenly and have very tender 4 to 5 green grains. This variety stands out from other varieties due to its very high quality. Due to its short growth, the variety usually does not need to be supported. It is also very suitable for edging vegetable beds or for pot cultivation. Suitable for raw consumption. Perfect for spring or autumn cultivation. The cultivation is worthwhile, simple and undemanding.

 General information 
Plant family: Fabaceae
Life cycle: Annual
Days to harvest: 90 days
Plant height approx.: 80 cm
Root type: Deep rooter
Nutrient requirements: Low
Water requirements: Medium
Winter hardiness: Up to -15°C
Location: Sunny
Soil: Permeable, humus-rich loamy soil

pH value: 6.5 to 7.5

 Sowing and planting information 
Germination type: Dark germinator
Sowing depth: 3-10 cm
Optimal germination temperature: 4-15 °C
Germination time: 10-15 days
Plant and row spacing: 15x40 cm

Germination ability of seeds: 4-5 years

 Mixed culture 
Optimal mixed culture: Eggplant, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Radish, Beetroot, Lettuce, Cabbage, Celery, Corn, Marigold
Unfavorable mixed culture: Pea

 Sowing by climate zone 
Subtropic climate (Mediterranean) (e. g. B. Portugal, Spain, Italy)
Direct sowing is recommended from January to March and in autumn from September to October. The plants should ideally be planted in a sunny location.
Moderate climate (e. g. B. Germany, Switzerland, Poland)
Direct sowing is recommended from March to April and in autumn from August to September. The plants should ideally be planted in a sunny location.

 General recommendations 
Direct sowing in rows or in clumps is recommended. When planting in clumps, five to six seeds are sown together in one planting hole, with a distance between the holes of approx. 40 cm and a row spacing of approx. 100 cm. This variety needs a double row to be stable.
Broad bean 'Crimsonia' prefers a permeable, nutrient-poor, moist and humus-rich loamy soil. Tolerates short periods of waterlogging.

 Additional tips 
The broad bean is the only legume that thrives in saline soil near the coast. In valleys, it is recommended to grow broad beans on deep, heavy clay soil in order to meet their high water requirements from soils with a high water storage capacity or from a high groundwater level. For better and deeper rooting and greater stability, it is recommended to sow fairly deep with a seed depth of between 6 and 10 cm. Since the soil is supplied with nitrogen via the roots, these should be cut off after harvest and left in the soil. Due to the nitrogen excreted on the roots of the beans, planting in mixed culture promotes surrounding plants. In order to quickly obtain a fine, crumbly and permeable soil with good nutrient and water storage capacity, it is recommended to additionally incorporate biochar and primary rock flour.

 Type of propagation 
Propagation occurs via seeds.

 Plant care 
Occasional weeding helps the young plants develop. Loose and moist soil is sufficient. No fertilization necessary.

 Other names 
Botanical names: Vicia faba
English names: Thick bean, Common bean, Green bean, Broad bean
German names: Ackerbohne, Dicke bohne, Faberbohne, Favabohne, große Bohne, Pferdebohne, Puffbohne, Saubohne, Viehbohne
Portuguese names: Favas, Feijão verde, Feijão grosso
Spanish names: Aalubias, Fabas, Fesol, Fréjol, Fríjol, Frijol grueso
French names: Haricot, Haricot épais

 Origin 
Country: Portugal