Have you ever grown peanuts before? Non-organically, I mean?

first time growing peanuts in my life. I have scoured the internet, and found info on just about everything about growing peanuts, except when or if to fertilize. I planted them in my clay soil enriched with lime, compost, and sand. C'mon, someone's gotta know! Where's Jimmy Carter when you need him?

Here is some general information for you from the International Fertilizer Institute:

Preferably based on soil tests. If pH is low and liming is recommended, limestone should be broadcast and turned into the soil in early spring.

Most USA research indicates no response to N when the soil is limed to an adequate pH and inoculated with the correct Rhizobium sp. On the other hand, many responses to N have been obtained in other countries.

Few responses to P and K have been recorded in USA since the rotational crops usually have higher requirements. Responses have been reported, however, under very low fertility conditions in Africa and in particular in soils with high P fixation. Basal applications of P and K (and of N too in several countries) are usually broadcast and incorporated into the soil before planting. Some topdressings of small amounts of N are applied at the vegetative stage in China. Gypsum application (to supply Ca and S), by broadcasting or banding at flowering, is common. B and Mo are commonly applied in foliar sprays at the vegetative stage.

Present fertilizer practices

USA

Limestone broadcast and turned into the soil before planting if pH Gypsum applied at bloom to small-seeded types, when Mehlich 1 extractable Ca Boron at 0.6 kg/ha B (unless soil level > 0.5 mg/kg B) usually in foliar sprays, split between the first two fungicide applications.

Peanuts are heavy nitrogen feeders, and will require supplemental sulfur, which is usually applied in the form of gypsum, as mentioned above.

Thank you all for the info! I believe I will try my all purpose compost tea, and see what happens. I wanted to be certain that they were not like potatoes, in that they do not appreciate much fert.

I haven't read much about peanut fertilization, but I did grow peanuts organically last year and they turned out just as well as my father's peanuts that were grown a few miles away with a non-organic approach.

Year 1 I planted corn in the plot and let the stalks brown while standing. Then I pulled them and used them for decorations before they went to the compost bin. Around October I planted a mixture of Crimson Clover/Annual Rye and tilled it under around March 1. I tilled once more about 2-3 weeks later and planted the peanuts in April. I provided no further fertilization (apart from what the clover provided when tilled under) or water and pulled the peanuts around Aug/Sep when they were yellowing.

I know this won't help you much this year, but it may give you some ideas for the future if you decide to continue growing goobers!

This year I'm going to try a mixture of garlic/lettuce in the same plot instead of the clover/rye in order to get something edible from the same plot year round.