Peanut / Groundnut

Arachis hypogaea

Plant family

Hülsenfrüchtler (Fabaceae) (Fabaceae)

Synonyms

Goober, Pindar, Monkey Nut

Season Overview

Propagating

Planting

Harvest

J

F

M

A

M

J

A

S

O

N

D

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Dry

Soil

Light (sandy)

Nutrient requirement

Low

Seeding distance

20 cm

Row spacing

40 cm

Seeding depth

1 cm

Instructions

Description

The peanut belongs to the same subfamily as the pea, for example, and is therefore botanically not a nut at all, but a legume. Like other legumes, it can accumulate nitrogen from the air in the soil with the help of rhizobia. It is an annual herbaceous plant that grows erect to creeping. Its yellow flowers descend after pollination and bore into the top loose soil layer. IMPORTANT: the ripe nuts must be dried with shell in the oven at 120-160 degrees for 20min before consumption!

Origin:

The peanut is originally native to the Andes. The oldest known finds come from Peru. However, it was also cultivated early on in other parts of South and Central America.

Growing tips

Peanut plants need 180 days of frost-free weather to form fruits. Therefore, it is recommended to preplant the seedlings. If the seeds are placed in water 24 hours before sowing, the germination capacity can be increased.

Companion Plants

No companion plants

Antagonistic Plants

No antagonistic plants

Diseases

Red Spot Disease

Root Rot

Pests

No pests