Peanut

Family. Legumes.

Origin. Peanut are native to Brazil.

How grow and look. Peanut were probably domesticated in Paraguay or Bolivia about seven thousand years ago, and are currently cultivated in tropical and warm-temperate zones of the world. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that is often grown as an annual. Outwardly it resembles a small bush of sweet pea, grown as an agricultural crop.

The pinnate leaves of peanut have an even number of leaflets (each leaf usually has two opposite pairs). The leaves are ovate-rounded, 4.5 cm long and 3.5 cm wide, smooth and dark green. The flowers are orange-yellow, solitary or in axillary inflorescences - racemes, fade very quickly. Peanut are self-pollinating plants; flowering occurs from July to September. After pollination, the pedicels lengthen, reach the ground, and penetrate into it to a depth of 7 cm, where pods 1 - 1.5 cm long and 6 - 8 mm are formed. in diameter, each containing from 1 to 4 seeds. Unlike other legumes, such as peas or beans, these pods do not open as they ripen.

Height. 20 - 50 cm in height. 

How to grow

When it blooms 

Flowering time is from July to September. 

Reproduction

Seeds are planted in spring or early summer, each bean is placed in loose nutrient soil to a depth of about 5 cm. The first flowering of such plants will occur in a month to a month and a half, and the harvest can be harvested after 100 - 140 days, depending on the plant variety. The pot for growing should have large drainage holes and be about 50cm in diameter.

Pests and diseases

Peanut have no major insect or disease problems. Plants can rot due to excessive watering and stagnation of moisture at the roots, as well as due to drops of water falling on the leaves and stems in conditions of insufficient air movement.

At home, the bushes may be threatened by pests such as thrips and aphids. When grown in open ground, they may be attacked by various caterpillars and wireworms.

Temperature conditions

Prefers moderate temperatures - about 21-28º C; at a temperature of about 15º C the bush stops developing and dies from frost.

Lighting

Direct sunlight! Representatives of the species belong to long-day plants, and if there is a lack of natural light, the bush should be artificially illuminated with fluorescent lamps.

How to care

Keeping this species indoors, in a pot, does not require much time or labor and is easy to grow even for novice gardeners. When the leaves of the bushes begin to turn yellow, the plants are removed from the pots and freed from the remaining soil, and hung to dry for about a week. Each peanut bush can produce up to 30 - 50 pods with beans. 

Soil for keeping in a pot

Grows best on well-fertilized, fertile, light, sandy, well-drained soils with the addition of calcium (for example, crushed chalk). The plant has no special requirements for pH and tolerates a wide range of acidity, although the most preferable is soil with a neutral pH of about 6.5.

Feeding

It is not demanding when it comes to feeding; peanut are fed 2-3 times during the growing season. Reacts well to organic fertilizers.

Purpose

Before harvesting, the bushes are taken out of the ground, shaken off, the pods are removed and dried.

Air humidity

Drought-resistant, does not tolerate high humidity.

Soil moisture

Do not allow the soil to dry out. Plants are watered in such a way that during the period of active growth and flowering the soil remains moist, but not swampy. Watering is stopped 2 weeks before harvesting the fruits.

Reproduction

Seeds in spring. The beans usually ripen 120 to 150 days after the seeds are sown.

Note

Peanut are not usually grown as ornamental plants. Not only does it serve as a favorite food item, but it is also used in the production of a range of non-food products such as textiles, cosmetics, plastics, dyes and paints. 

Transfer 

Repotting is not required as it is grown as an annual.