When to plant fava bean in Charlotte

In Charlotte, typical last spring frost is March 18 and typical first fall frost is November 19. Typical last spring frost: March 18. Fava bean in Charlotte is not realistic outdoors: 69 suitable days are fewer than the 80 days this plant usually needs.

Fava bean

How to grow Fava bean Charlotte climate Weekly temperatures and windows

Where are you growing?

Not realistic outdoors

Not realistic in greenhouse

Tight fit in a cold frame

Fava bean in Charlotte is doable with planning in a cold frame. 86 suitable days are enough for fast varieties (80 days) but not slow ones (110 days).

When to plantFebruary 4 – May 21

Harvest: April 25 – September 29
Season vs crop: 86 grow days vs 80–110 needed
Typical frost (last spring – first fall): March 3 – December 8

Fava bean in Charlotte is doable with planning in a cold frame. 86 suitable days are enough for fast varieties (80 days) but not slow ones (110 days).

Estimate. Protection varies with the cover, the weather and how you vent it.

A closed cold frame keeps nights up to about 3–6 °C warmer than outside. Open it on sunny days.

Cover dates are modelled from weather-model data using published greenhouse studies. They are not measured in your greenhouse. A max–min thermometer inside will tell you more.

Typical last frost estimate range March 18 – January 27, depending on the cover and the night.

Planting conditions

Direct sow
Harvest

Local activity windows for this place and growing method. Blue fill is usually too cold for this plant. Dashed lines are typical last and first frost.

Suitable growing days in a row86

Days to harvest80–110 days from seed

Feb 4 – May 21

Direct sow

Apr 25 – Sep 29

Harvest

Activity	Window	Notes
Direct sow	Feb 4 – May 21	Plant outdoors in this window.
Harvest	Apr 25 – Sep 29	Expected harvest from typical days to harvest.

Direct sow
Harvest

Blue fill is usually too cold for this plant. Dashed lines are typical last and first frost (35 seasons (1991–2025)). Adjust a week or two for your conditions.

Protected frost and sowing dates are modelled estimates from weather-model data and published greenhouse studies, not measured in your greenhouse. A max–min thermometer inside will tell you more.

Planting and growing across the year

Planting is the sow / plant-out window. Growing is daytime air versus this plant’s ideal (15 – 21 °C59 – 70 °F15 – 21 °C (59 – 70 °F)) and tolerable (4 – 24 °C39 – 75 °F4 – 24 °C (39 – 75 °F)) ranges, from modelled cover temperatures for the growing method you selected.

Ideal / plantable
Tolerable
Too cold
Too hot
Outside window

Planting uses sow / plant-out rules; growing shows daytime air against this plant’s ideal and tolerable ranges.

Key dates

Typical last spring frostMarch 3

Low-risk last spring frostMarch 18

Typical first fall frostDecember 8

Low-risk first fall frostNovember 20

Frost-free days279

Outdoor sow dateFebruary 4

Direct sow windowFebruary 4 – May 21

Suitable growing windowFebruary 4 – April 30 (86 days)

Expected harvestApril 25 – September 29

How these dates are judged

Ideal conditions: Daytime air from 15 – 21 °C59 – 70 °F15 – 21 °C (59 – 70 °F).
Suitable conditions: Daytime air from 4 – 24 °C39 – 75 °F4 – 24 °C (39 – 75 °F).
Last frost and first frost: Typical spring and fall frost dates for Charlotte, shown in the key dates.
Days to harvest: 80–110 days from seed, from typical days to harvest.
Sowing window: Dated sow and harvest bars use frost dates, soil minima, night limits, and last-sow count-back from typical crop timing. Air ratings on the weekly chart colour only weeks inside that same window — see weekly temperatures and windows.

Other plants for Charlotte

Calculated by Plan & Plant. Method. Data 35 seasons (1991–2025).

Frost and suitability dates are typical figures from climate statistics.

Based on 35 years (1991–2025) of ERA5-Land data from Open-Meteo, for an area of about 10 km. Typical dates, not a guarantee.

Dates for Charlotte use ERA5-Land cell 35.23, -80.84. How we calculated this · Algorithm 2026-10-season-10.

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