What do you think is the most popular ‘go-to’ snack option at my house right now? It’s a peanut-based feast, not potato chips or cookies. When I’m hungry, I’ll sometimes eat a whole peanut butter spoon.
I believe it’s because peanuts contain so much protein that they don’t need much to satisfy you. In addition, they’re great to eat.
I decided to research growing peanuts in my own garden after eating all of those peanuts. I’m sharing everything I’ve learned with you now that I’ve gained enough experience.
Best Peanut Varieties
Peanuts come in four major categories, which can be separated into a broad range of types. The following are the ones:
Runners (Arachis hypogaea)
Peanuts that runners are among the most popular. Because they have such a consistent growth pattern. As a result, they are more appealing to marketers.
With huge pods, Georgia 06G is a gorgeous variety. It has a high yield and is resistant to viruses. The heirloom variety Carolina African Runner has a delicious, if little, seed.
Virginia (Arachis hypogaea)
Since you might typically get store-bought peanuts in the shell, Virginia peanuts are definitely some of the most recognized.
Bailey is a trustworthy variety that produces a lot of crops and has very little disease resistance. Gregory’s pods are huge and his yield is high.
Spanish (Arachis fastigata)
In comparison to other types, Spanish peanuts are shorter. Their skin is crimson and brown. This is the kind of candied peanuts that you’ll eat. They’re also used to make butter. In Oklahoma and Texas, they’re most commonly seen.
Valencia (Arachis fastigata)
Valencia peanuts are a type of boiled peanuts that you may be familiar with. Inside the shell, there are three or more kernels. The skin of these creatures is particularly vivid red.
Valencia peanuts are similar to boiled peanuts if you’re a fan of them. Within the shell, there are three or more kernels. Their bright red skin is what distinguishes them.
Three or four-kernel pods are produced in large quantities by GenTex. With huge pods, Georgia red produces an excellent yield. It’s highly resistant to diseases.
Planting Peanuts in the Garden
Peanut growing isn’t actually that difficult, as long as you know what you’re doing. You’ll get off to a good start if you follow a few basic steps.
Growing Zones
Zones 8-12 are suitable for peanuts to grow.
Peanuts need 100-130 days to develop, and they must be free of frost during that time. In the northern climates, this makes growing peanuts a bit of a challenge.
You might still have a chance even if you reside in a colder area if you start them early and install some crop covers.
Soil Requirements
Peanuts need a pH of 6.0-6.5 in order to thrive in sandy, loamy soil. It’s important to drain the soil well.
Sun Needs
You’ll need full sun for your expanding peanuts to survive. They must get at least six hours of sunlight each day.
Starting Indoors
Peanuts take a long time to grow, so if you live in northern climates, you may have to start them indoors. 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost date, begin them.
Put raw peanuts in a plastic container with a shallow depth. You’ll need to pour about 2/3 of a metre of potting soil into the bowl. Make sure the soil is saturated.
After that, sow the raw peanuts about 4 inches deep. Cover the peanuts completely in soil. Transplant them once they’ve sprouted. Harden them off for two weeks before planting.
Starting Outdoors
When the soil temperature is around 65°F, plant peanuts two to three weeks after the final frost date.
Plant Spacing
You’ll need to scatter your peanuts around 2 inches deep and 8 inches apart in loose soil with a spacing of 12 to 24 inches between each row when planting outdoors.
Hill the Plants
You’ll need to hill your plants once they’ve been placed in the ground and allowed to grow. To keep the roots safe, all you have to do is build a mound of mulch around them.
When you’ve completed everything, your plants should begin to produce little yellow flowers. They grow along the peanut plant’s stem.
You’ll begin to see little ovaries form and then fall over and tunnel their way into the ground after the flowers have dried up. Peanuts are beginning to develop.
How to Care for Your Peanuts
Peanuts don’t need a lot of care in order to survive. Your plants should hopefully be happy, healthy, and productive if you keep these four things in mind:
Be Gentle
Peanut plants have shallow roots, and peanuts develop right at the surface of the soil. When weeding, avoid digging too deeply because you may risk disturbing the peanuts that are developing and ruining your crop; instead, dig around the roots of your plants.
Since it inhibits weed and protects the plants, a layer of mulch may be beneficial here.
Water Regularly
Most plants, including yours, require watering on a regular basis. Water them weekly to ensure that the soil is moist enough to be at least 6-8 inches below the soil.
You can usually get away with watering a little less after the soil has been thoroughly saturated and the plants have reached maturity. Sticking your finger in the soil surrounding the plant is the best way to determine this. You’ve watered sufficiently if it’s moist to your knuckle.
You should be watering your plants weekly with a few inches of water. As harvest season approaches, quit watering.
Mulch Your Plants
Mulch helps retain moisture around your plants and smothers weeds, making it a great friend of the gardener.
To keep your peanuts plants moist and prevent weeds from growing, use mulch around them.
Fertilizing Peanuts
After planting your peanuts, apply low nitrogen fertilizer to the side. During flowering, apply a calcium-rich fertilizer.
Growing Peanuts – Pests & Problems
Peanuts have a lot of bugs that like them as much as we do, which is the downside to their growth. Here are a few things to keep an eye on:
Aphids
These are tiny insects that may be found in a variety of gardens. Plants are eaten, weakened, and sickened as a result of their activities. To stop aphids, apply insecticide spray or neem oil.
Leaf Spot
In warm and moist environments, this fungus grows.
Check to see if the leaves of your peanut plants are infected with leaf spot if you notice yellow spots appearing on them and the leaves eventually falling off.
Rotate crops every year to prevent this fungus from spreading. Also, be sure to remove and burn any damaged leaves so the fungus can’t spread.
Nematodes
There are several types of nematodes out there. Plants are beneficial to some and harmful to others.
Your plants will suffer from stunted growth if you have the harmful kind. Nematodes destroy roots and spread illness.
Rotation of your crops and a high amount of organic matter to your garden before you plant are the finest ways to stop harmful nematodes.
Leafhoppers
Little creatures that hop from plant to plant are known as leafhoppers. They transmit disease and make plants yellow.
Stopping weeds and covering your plants with floating row covers are the best ways to control leafhoppers.
Root Worms
Worms that bore into a plant and suck the life out of it are known as root worms.
To prevent overwintering in the soil, clean your garden at the conclusion of each season. Following that, apply beneficial nematodes to your soil.
Thrips
These are tiny microscopic creatures that spread diseases throughout your garden. The leaves of the plant also acquire white patches as a result of this.
To prevent thrips, use insecticidal soap.
Grubs
Timone and Pumba from The Lion King come to mind when I hear the term grub. But, your garden is most likely not being dug through by a warthog and a meerkat to eat these pests.
Grubs feed on peanuts that are buried in the ground and reside there. Grubs can be killed with milky spore.
There might be grubs in the region where you grow your peanut plants, so avoid growing them where grass has recently been grown.
Wireworms
Dark brown and light yellow wireworms exist. Peanut roots are their main food source.
Beneficial nematodes may help you control this pest.
Verticillium Wilt
Best and Worst Companion Plants
It’s important to plant peanuts near certain plants and not near others. Peanuts are compatible with the following:
- Potato
- Beet
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Celery
- Celeriac
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Peas
- Radish
- Strawberry
- Savory
- Marigold
- Tansy
- Lettuce
Peanuts provide too much shade and inhibit plant development, so other plants should be avoided. Peanut plants may also transmit diseases to them. The following are some of the examples:
- Corn
- Pole beans
- Basil
- Fennel
- Onion
- Kohlrabi
Harvest Your Peanuts
You’ll want to harvest your peanuts before the frost hits this year. They should be ready around 85 to 130 days after planting.
After you’ve dug up the entire plant with a garden fork, shake off any remaining soil. Afterwards, place the plants in a hanging basket to dry.
How to Store Your Peanuts
You’ll need to select how to store your peanuts after they’ve dried following harvest. They only have a few weeks in a refrigerated space if you shell them.
They can, however, last on your pantry shelves for months if you leave them in the shells. Leaving your peanuts in the shell and storing them in a freezer bag is the longest way to preserve them.
Peanuts will stay in the freezer for up to a year if you do this.
How to Use Your Peanuts
Spicy peanuts are probably one of your favorite snacks. Then, you’ll want to look at this recipe if you want to make a healthier homemade snack that’s simple to mix up.
My mouth started to water when I read about how to make your own peanut brittle.
My grandmother used to make this fantastic treat, which I remember from my childhood. Make your own memories by trying this delicious recipe.
I discovered I adore to add peanuts to my meals after dinner at a friend’s home, where she prepared this delicious Thai Peanut Chicken recipe. It adds a lot of crunchiness to the mix.
I was surprised I had been buying peanut butter for all of these years because it was so simple to make my own.
Grow Your Own Peanuts!
It’s time to start growing your own peanuts, so go out and do it. Let us know if you have any problems with your peanut plants. Tell us your favorite way to utilize your harvest!