When to plant fava bean in Austin

In Austin, typical last spring frost is February 15 and typical first fall frost is December 17. Typical last spring frost: February 15. Fava bean in Austin is not realistic outdoors: 64 suitable days are fewer than the 80 days this plant usually needs.

Fava bean

How to grow Fava bean Austin climate Weekly temperatures and windows

Where are you growing?

Not realistic outdoors

Not realistic in greenhouse

Comfortable in a cold frame

Fava bean in Austin is a good fit in a cold frame. The suitable growing window of 365 days covers the 80–110 days this plant usually needs.

When to plantJanuary 24 – April 25

Harvest: April 14 – September 3
Season vs crop: 365 grow days vs 80–110 needed
Typical frost (last spring – first fall): January 20 – January 7

Fava bean in Austin is a good fit in a cold frame. The suitable growing window of 365 days covers the 80–110 days this plant usually needs.

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 February 15 – January 17, depending on the cover and the night.

Planting conditions

Direct sow
Harvest

Local activity windows for this place and growing method. Dashed lines are typical last and first frost.

Suitable growing days in a row365

Days to harvest80–110 days from seed

Jan 24 – Apr 25

Direct sow

Apr 14 – Sep 3

Harvest

Activity	Window	Notes
Direct sow	Jan 24 – Apr 25	Plant outdoors in this window.
Harvest	Apr 14 – Sep 3	Expected harvest from typical days to harvest.

Direct sow
Harvest

Based on average frost dates (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 frostJanuary 20

Low-risk last spring frostMarch 4

Typical first fall frostJanuary 7

Low-risk first fall frostDecember 7

Frost-free days351

Outdoor sow dateJanuary 24

Direct sow windowJanuary 24 – April 25

Suitable growing windowJanuary 1 – December 31 (365 days)

Expected harvestApril 14 – September 3

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 Austin, 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 Austin

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 Austin use ERA5-Land cell 30.27, -97.74. How we calculated this · Algorithm 2026-10-season-10.

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