Before planting peanut plants, you should know about their growing cycle.
Learn about their life cycle, planting methods, and how to fertilize them.
From the planting to maturity stage, it takes 140 to 160 days to grow Peanuts. However, matured peanuts should ONLY be harvested when the soil is not too wet or too dry to aid digging.
You can plant peanuts in the ground, in raised beds, or in containers.
After planting, peanuts will need a little time to sprout.
Then, harvest them before the first fall frost.
To pick the peanuts, you can use a gardening fork to dig up the whole plant and place it in a warm, dry location.
Planting Peanuts in the ground
Peanuts are slow-growing plants that need full sun.
The soil they need to grow well must be well-drained and have an organic content of ten pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Peanut seeds should be planted about an inch deep and in a sunny spot.
Seedlings should be transplanted once the soil temperature reaches 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant peanuts in a row and protect the crown from burying.
Peanut plants are best planted after the last frost of the winter season. You must ensure the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is important to plant peanut seeds two inches deep. In a row, peanut plants should be three feet apart.
Soak peanut seeds overnight before planting, as this will promote faster germination. Afterwards, you can cover the peanuts with loose dirt.
Peanuts are easy to grow but remember that planting them in the ground takes time. They need a long growing season, so if you live in a northern climate, you must plant a variety that matures early.
In addition, you must prepare the soil for peanut planting by starting them indoors before the last frost.
Peanut seeds must be obtained from a seed supplier. Alternatively, you can save them from peanuts that you bought at the grocery store, but this method isn’t reliable.
Before planting peanuts, make sure you fertilize the soil and allow enough moisture. Peanut plants grow best when temperatures are warm.
Planting them too deeply can cause the soil temperature to drop, which can affect germination and emergence.
Additionally, planting peanuts at a deeper depth increases the amount of time tender seedlings are exposed to soil fungi, which can lead to disease. To avoid soil crusting, apply light mulch.
Planting Peanuts in raised beds
Peanuts are one of the most common crops, and they require a large amount of sunlight to thrive. It is best to plant peanut seeds in raised garden beds, where they will receive consistent sunlight.
You can also start the peanut seedlings indoors before the last frost date.
If you don’t have a garden, you can purchase peanut seeds from a nursery. Peanuts are best harvested raw, so don’t worry about cooking them.
When growing peanuts, make sure to make sure that the soil is well-drained and has enough room for the roots. Plant them at least 18 inches apart, and leave them 12 inches deep. Water peanuts in a regular basis, but try to make sure the soil is dry between waterings.
Peanuts need a little moisture, but they do not like the soil to be too wet or too dry. If you have soil that is too dry, peanuts will not grow and you’ll have an empty pod.
If you want to grow peanuts in a raised bed, start the seeds indoors 30 days before the last spring frost. After you’ve planted the peanut seeds, cover them lightly with thin soil and place them in a warm place.
Peanuts take seven to fourteen days to germinate, so it’s best to start them indoors. Afterwards, you can transplant them outdoors.
Most peanuts will be ready to harvest 120 to 150 days after planting. When the foliage begins to turn yellow, you can harvest peanuts.
The hull of a peanut will turn from white to yellow to black. You can test for maturity by scraping the middle of a pod with a sharp knife. If the hull turns black or dark brown, the peanuts are ready for harvest.
Planting Peanuts in containers
Planting peanuts in containers is an excellent way to grow the delicious nuts indoors. Peanuts grow quickly and are good for container gardening.
You will need pots with drainage holes to prevent water from sitting on top of them and rotting the roots. The best soil for peanut plants is slightly acidic and with adequate humidity.
Planting peanuts in containers requires a little care and patience. Make sure to plan ahead and prepare your container before you begin planting.
When planting peanuts in containers, be sure to use aged compost. It will be easier to keep peanuts healthy if you follow some guidelines. Make sure to keep the container dry between waterings.
You should also avoid growing peanuts too close to tall plants.
Peanuts do not like the shade of tall plants, and they need about eight hours of direct sunlight each day.
Peanuts are best planted around 6 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep. You should water the peanuts at least once a week, but you should avoid overwatering.
Peanuts take about four to five months to mature. If you plant them in April, they should be ready for harvest by September or October.
Once they start to show signs of dying, you can harvest them. If you don’t harvest the pods before the first frost, make sure you dig the peanut plant out of the ground and let the leaves dry. Then shelling them will reduce their shelf life to about four or five months.
To grow peanuts in containers, you will need to make sure you start the seeds indoors.
It is best to plant peanut seeds about a month before the last frost date in your area. Peanut seeds should be planted between four and six inches apart.
To start peanuts, you will need to make sure that the temperature is 65 degrees or higher.
You can also start them indoors before transplanting them outdoors. If you have time, plant peanut seeds in containers at least five to eight weeks before the last frost date.
Fertilizing Peanuts
Peanuts grow best when they are fertilized with residual fertilizer from the previous crop.
For the best results, apply 10 pounds of 0-10-20 fertilizer per thousand square feet of soil. Peanuts are best planted in early spring, after the danger of frost has passed.
Soil temperatures should reach 65E F and the pegs should be planted at a depth of about six inches. For optimum results, fertilizer should be applied only when the ground is moist and the soil temperature is 65E F or higher.
The soil type is crucial to the success of planting peanuts. Peanuts prefer sandy, well-drained soil.
They grow better on sandy soils, as the pegs penetrate these soils more easily.
Clay soils have a harder time with pegs, so peanuts need to be planted in soil that is loose and aerated to eight to 12 inches deep. Before planting, you should check the soil pH and determine the types of nutrients it needs.
The correct type of lime and calcium are essential to ensure a healthy crop. The soil pH should be 6.2-6.5 to be most effective.
A soil test is recommended to determine the type of lime you need.
Calcium-deficient soils are more likely to have unfilled pods and an increased risk of pod rot. If you want to avoid the use of lime or gypsum, then you should apply these products on the peanut at planting time or before the crop is fully matured.
When planting your peanut crop, you need to take care of weeds. You must keep weeds under control and keep the soil moist.
To prevent weeds, mulch around the peanut plant. If you want to have flowers on your peanuts, side dress the soil with calcium-rich fertilizer to help it flower. Aphids are another problem that plagues peanuts.
These fungi weaken the plant and spread diseases. In order to control aphids, you can use neem oil or insecticides.
Harvesting Peanuts
The harvesting process is simple but requires a good amount of patience. Peanuts are a self-pollinating crop, which means you can use the seeds from one plant to grow more. You can harvest the nuts by hand or by using a machine.
A specialized harvester can help you get the job done quickly and efficiently. If you have a small peanut crop, it will take about two weeks to harvest all the peanuts.
You can either plant the peanuts directly in the ground or transplant them.
For outdoor planting, the soil should be at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and peanut seeds should be spaced at least 12 inches apart.
To avoid weeds, plant the peanuts in hills, or grow them closer together. Once planted, peanuts need several days of dry weather to mature. Despite their long maturation time, harvesting them requires a careful eye and an appropriate tool.
Peanuts must be dried after harvesting. Traditionally, peanuts are harvested in windrows in the field.
After harvesting, the pods are separated from the plants by hand or with the aid of a combine and then stored in a cool, dry place.
Spread out the pods so that they dry evenly; piled pods are more likely to mold or rot. Peanuts are incredibly versatile ingredients and are a great choice for many uses.
In addition to the labor-intensive nature of the harvest process, peanuts also require multiple passes in the field.
As a result, estimating the total harvest time can be a complex task.
Harvesting Peanuts: Conclusion
To accurately estimate harvest times for Peanuts, consider factors such as canopy health leading up to the harvest, crop maturity, and harvest capacity.
One way to estimate harvest time is by calculating the percent of orange, brown, and black pods.
A farmer who requires 40 days will have used all the work days available in the previous year and will likely have little harvest in several years.