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Vegetable Gardening

Growing peanuts - first time - info?

16 years ago

Hi all,

I'm going to try growing peanuts this year. Can you point me to a good resource that explains cultural requirements? I'd like to know about pests, proper soil pH, fertilizer requirements, etc. Also, because of the resident critters, I like to grow my bush beans under floating row covers. Are peanuts self polinating? Sorry for all the questions, but I haven't found a good info source for home gardeners on the web-

Thanks,

Beth

Comments (10)

bakersville
16 years ago
Here are some good places, that have peanut growing info since you seem to have trouble getting you search engine to work properly.
http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/pnut.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2045277_grow-peanuts.html
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1997/5-2-1997/peanuts.html
http://www.peanut-institute.org/PeanutFAQs.html
http://www.which.co.uk/files/application/pdf/Peanut%20458-445-92620.pdf
http://www.monsterguide.net/how-to-grow-peanuts.shtml
denninmi
16 years ago
I can even grow peanuts pretty successfully here in Michigan. Not really worth the bother to me, because it seems like a lot of work to dig them up. If they didn't bury themselves in the ground, but just grew on the bush like beans, I think it would be worthwhile perhaps. All in all, I don't even grow dry beans, just too much work for the yield returned when compared to the price of buying them at the store. Oh, well.

One bit of info, though. EVERYTHING which is herbivorous just LOVES peanuts. Deer, bunnies, woodchucks. So, if you have critter problems, might as well plan on growing them under some type of protection. I'm almost positive they are largely self-pollinating, almost all legumes are.
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I grow the Carolina Black which may be the same you are refering to and I beleive Fussion power is the grower for sandhill. I am the grower for the Tenn red valencia peanut supplied by Southern Exposure Seeds. As stated they need a long hot growing season about 100-120 days. I planted mine the other day. and will harvest them in Late Sept early Oct. They like a loose well drained soil high in Calcium and benefit if the area was manured in the fall or winter prior to planting.. I use gypsum added to the ground for Calcium, people around here call it p-nut plaster or land plaster.Peanuts also need a well balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 for a synthetic fertilizer. I am organic so I use bone meal bloodmeal and greensand. unlike peas which need no added nitrogen peanuts need a supply of nitrogen throught the growing season especially during pegging. So add some fertilizer when planted if area is not manured or very fertile and side dress when start to bloom. They will not germinate only rot in cool wet soil so if that is your case they can be started in 2in pots and transplanted when well established, about 2 weeks. I grow in clay but it is well amended making a nice loose soil. I also mulch my plants with hay to keep the weeds out and mainly it keeps the soil loose so that the pegs can penetrate the ground. If you have problems with crows beware they will pull up young peanuts. Sow 8-12 inches apart in rows 30-36in apart and mound up or hill up soil around the plant( same as irish potatoes), as it grows this gives a nice loose soil around the base for the pegs. When they start to bloom I heavily mulch them. Rodger
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beth11
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi All,

Ok, so I'll be covering them. Is there any particular pest I should look out for? Every time I try something new, the bugs seem to find it! Do they require an innoculant like beans?

Thank you-
Beth
wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
16 years ago
The last time I grew them nothing bothered mine and I did not inoculate them. The two biggest problems here are: Getting more than half of them mature before frost and yeah...all the work. It is maybe ok for a one time fun thing of course.
chaman
16 years ago
Beth, you shall have to harvest the peanuts by end of September or early October if there is no freeze warning.The pods will be still green (not fully dried) due to weather condition of our zone.I pick the hard pods which are filled with matured seeds ,though still green,boil them and freeze them to use later during year.I have not encountered with any pest problems.
beth11
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks. Yeah, this is just a fun thing to try - I have no interest in becoming a peanut farmer! Chaman - where do you live in MD? I'm down in Charles County.

Beth
grandad_2003
16 years ago
The only "pest" problems I've had with growing peanuts were with rabbits eating the greenery and squirrels or raccoons digging up and eating the peanuts, both of which were solved by setting up an electric fence.

For me, growing peanuts is worth the trouble. Nothing like fresh boiled peanuts dug right out of the garden.... Add in a little crab/shrimp boil to spice it up a bit, and maybe a bit of lemon for flavor. Yum! However, I might add that I wouldn't go through all of the trouble if the plan was to roast the peanuts. This would be far too much effort for something that you can easily get in the stores..
weirdtrev
16 years ago
I live in Baltimore County and I have grown peanuts several times. They are a fun plant to grow with nice yellow flowers. I don't know what, if anything, pollinates the flowers but after they bloom the flowers send down a peg into the soil and this is what forms a peanut. In my experience, you will need to be sure that the soil doesn't form a hard crust so the pegs can penetrate the soil. This can be accomplished by using a light mulch like straw or grass clippings to keep the surface slightly moist. Also I think you will benefit from pegging down the stems so they are close to the soil and the pegs have less of a distance to travel. If you don't have time to do what I have mentioned you will likely still get peanuts but a little extra care will give you a better crop.
chaman
16 years ago
Beth, I live in Frederick county.

Chaman
fuzzy158
15 years ago
I have a large (for me) planting of peanuts. They are currenty a beautiful row of lush green plants with little yellow flowers, but I see no evidence of them putting pegs into the soil. Any thoughts?

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