How many days does it take for broad beans to sprout and grow out of the soil?

Broad beans grow well in warm and humid climates and can withstand temperatures as low as -4°C, but are afraid of heat. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 16-25℃. The required temperature during the vegetative growth period is lower, with the minimum temperature being 14-16℃. The flowering and fruiting period requires 16-22℃. If the temperature drops below -4°C, the above-ground parts of broad beans may suffer frost damage. Let’s learn how many days it takes for broad beans to germinate and grow out of the soil?

How many days does it take for broad beans to sprout and grow out of the soil?

It usually takes about 7 to 10 days for broad beans to germinate and grow out of the soil after sowing. Choose seeds that are full in color, without cracks, and uniform in size to ensure that they will germinate quickly after sowing. The freshness of the seeds has a great influence on the germination rate. It is not advisable to use seeds that are more than three years old, otherwise the germination rate will decrease.

Broad bean sowing time and germination method

1. Variety selection

It is recommended to purchase high-quality commercial broad bean seeds , or use self-retained seeds, but it is not recommended to use old seeds that are more than 2-3 years old, so as not to affect the germination and emergence rate. Choose broad bean varieties that are adapted to local climate and soil conditions, have many pods, large pods, large grains, high and stable yields, and are disease and drought resistant. Select broad bean seeds that are plump, well-developed, uniform in size, bright in color, free of mildew, pests and damage.

2. Planting site

Avoid continuous cropping or planting with leguminous crops such as broad beans, green beans, peas, peanuts, etc., so as not to affect plant growth and yield and increase the risk of diseases and pests. It is recommended to rotate with gramineous crops such as wheat, corn, and rice, or cash crops such as potatoes and rapeseed.

Choose a plot of land with sufficient sunlight, flat or higher terrain. The soil should be deep, fertile, loose and transparent, rich in organic matter, and well-drained. Avoid shaded, low-lying, waterlogged, compacted, and saline-alkali land. The best soil is fine sandy loam or light sandy soil.

3. Seeding management

Seed treatment before sowing: Dry the seeds in the sun 2-3 days before sowing to sterilize and increase germination activity. Before sowing, you can use rhizobia or ammonium molybdate to mix the seeds to increase nitrogen fixation ability and yield. You can also use fungicides and insecticides to mix the seeds to prevent diseases and pests.

Sowing time: Broad bean sowing is mainly concentrated in spring (north of the Yangtze River) and autumn (south of the Yangtze River), and the best sowing temperature is 18-23 degrees. In the northern region, sowing is generally carried out from late March to late April, while in the southern region, sowing is carried out from mid-October to early November. Pay attention to prevent spring drought, spring frost, autumn waterlogging and frost. Measures such as ridge building, ground film covering or spreading straw can be taken.

Sowing method: Broad beans can be sown in rows or spots, with a plant spacing of 15-20 cm, a row spacing of 25-30 cm, 6000-7000 seedlings per mu, 2-3 seeds per hole, a sowing depth of 4-6 cm, and a sowing amount of 6-10 kg per mu. Adjust sowing density according to soil fertility and variety characteristics.

Post-sowing weed control management: Spray the entire field with soil-sealing herbicides within 1-3 days after sowing, and then cover the field with plastic film or spread straw. Do not spray closed herbicides after broad beans emerge. Thin out the seedlings in time after they emerge, keep the strong ones and remove the weak ones, and transplant them densely to fill in the gaps.

4. Fertilization management

Base fertilizer application:

The base fertilizer is mainly decomposed organic fertilizer , with a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer and potassium fertilizer, and more phosphorus fertilizer and calcium fertilizer. For ordinary plots, apply 200-300 kg of commercial organic fertilizer or more than 2,000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu, combined with 4-6 kg of urea + 10-15 kg of potassium sulfate + 30-40 kg of superphosphate or calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer, or 40-50 kg of special compound fertilizer for beans.

Application of topdressing: When base fertilizer is sufficient, no fertilizer is generally required during the seedling stage. If the seedlings are weak, you can irrigate them with dilute manure and urine water or urea water at the 6-leaf stage, or spray them with urea water + potassium dihydrogen phosphate + ammonium molybdate 1-2 times. During the initial flowering period, apply 10-15 kg of balanced compound fertilizer per mu, and spray 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate + 0.3% boric acid + 0.15% ammonium molybdate foliar fertilizer; during the period of massive flowering and podding, apply 15-20 kg of high-potassium compound fertilizer, and spray the above-mentioned foliar fertilizer 1-2 times, once every 7-10 days.

5. Watering management

Keep the soil moist after sowing until seedlings emerge. From the time the seedlings emerge to the time when buds and flowers appear, water less when the soil does not turn white or crack. Appropriate drought promotes deep rooting. The water demand is high during the flowering and pod-setting period. Water should be applied once at the early stage of bud formation and the concentrated pod-setting period to meet the water demand. Avoid prolonged drought or waterlogging in the soil to avoid affecting flowering, pod setting and root health.

If broad beans do not germinate within the expected time, consider adjusting the soil moisture or temperature, or checking the quality of the seeds. Through these management measures, the germination rate and emergence speed of broad beans can be effectively improved.