The crop is bested suited to red-brown earths, black earths, grey clays and alluvial loams.
It prefers types of soil with pH ranging from neutral to alkaline (pH of 7.0 to 9.0). However, good yields have been achieved on paddocks with pH as low as 4.6 where aluminium and manganese levels are low (aluminium below 20ug/g and/or manganese below 50ug/g).
If soil pH is below 5.0 the application of lime is strongly recommended.
Deep loams are the first choice of soils. The crop may suffer moisture stress in soils that dry quickly. Faba bean tends to have shallow roots.
Faba bean is tolerant of waterlogging.