Chickpeas have a long growing season. This plant takes up to 100 days from planting to reach its harvest season. This plant is actually easy to care for as long as you take care of the roots and don't over-water.
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Method 1 of 4: Part One: Planting Chickpeas Seeds
Step 1. Spread the seeds indoors
Begin planting chickpeas at least four weeks before the first day of winter (if you live in an area with four seasons). Because chickpea seeds are very fragile, you should plant them indoors rather than in cold soil.
- If you want to plant chickpea seeds outdoors, wait a week or two before winter sets in and protect the area at night with light mulch or shredded paper to warm the seeds.
- Chickpeas have a long growing season and take 90 to 100 days to harvest. Therefore, you should plant it as early as possible.
Step 2. Use a biodegradable flower pot
Chickpeas don't move easily, so you should use flower pots made of paper or peat that can be buried directly into the soil instead of plastic or ceramic containers.
Flower pots can be purchased online and at most garden stores
Step 3. Plant one or two seeds in each pot
Fill the pots with a little potting soil, then plant one seed in each pot 2.5 to 5 cm deep.
- It is recommended that you plant one seed in each pot, but you can plant up to two seeds in one pot. As the seedlings begin to germinate, you should reduce the seed to only one in each pot. If you must reduce seedlings, cut off the weaker seedlings above the soil surface using sharp scissors. Don't dig it because you will damage the chickpea roots.
- Germination usually takes two weeks.
Step 4. Provide sufficient sunlight and water
Place the pot with the seeds near a window that gets plenty of direct sunlight and keep the soil surface moist until the seeds germinate.
Do not wet the seeds before planting them. You should avoid over-watering after planting the seeds as this can damage the seeds. The soil surface should feel moist, but don't over-wet the soil
Method 2 of 4: Part Two: Transplanting Seeds
Step 1. Choose the right location
Chickpeas can grow in areas with full sun, so you should choose an area that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Ideally, the growing media used should consist of loose soil with good drainage and also contain organic matter.
- You can grow chickpeas in semi-protected areas, but if you do, you will reduce the quality of the end result.
- Do not plant chickpeas in areas with green manure or in soils with a high nitrogen content. Nitrogen will make the leaves of this plant large and dense, but the quality of the final yield of this plant will decrease if the nitrogen level is too high.
- Avoid dense clay or shady areas.
Step 2. Prepare the soil
To improve soil conditions and prepare it for growing chickpeas, add a few handfuls of old compost a day to a week before transplanting the seedlings.
- Also consider mixing a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorus to promote a successful harvest.
- If the soil is too dense, mix in agricultural sand, fine gravel, or a soil enhancer to make it less compact and improve drainage. Don't mix it with moss because moss tends to hold too much water.
Step 3. Remove the seedlings after winter has passed
Chickpeas are said to be winter-hardy plants, but they do better when planted outdoors once winter is over. These seedlings should be 10 to 12.7 cm tall by the time they are transplanted.
Plants will grow best when the daytime temperature reaches 21 to 27 degrees Celsius and when the night temperature stays above 18 degrees Celsius
Step 4. Arrange the seedlings so close to each other
Give the distance between the seeds with each other along the 12, 7 to 15, 25 cm. The hole you dig should be as deep as the pot used to plant the seedlings.
- When chickpeas start to grow, this plant will begin to jostle with other chickpeas plants. Actually, plants that are a little thick can be a good thing because these plants can support each other when jostling.
- If you are planting chickpeas parallel to each other, space them out 46 to 61 cm.
Step 5. Bury the chickpea seeds and their pots
As noted above, any holes you dig should be large enough for the seedling pots to fit in. Place the pot of chickpeas seeds in the hole and cover the sides with the addition of soil slowly.
Do not try to pull the seedlings out of their pots. You will damage the roots of the chickpeas and cause the plant to die
Method 3 of 4: Part Three: General Treatment
Step 1. Water regularly
Rainwater alone is usually sufficient, but if the dry season arrives, water the chickpea plant twice a week while the plant is in the flowering and pod-forming phase.
- Do not water from above. Water can hit the flowers and pods of the peanut plant, causing them to open prematurely. Spilling water over plants can also cause powdery mildew. When watering chickpeas, water directly on the surface of the soil.
- Once the pod is mature and the plant begins to wilt on its own, don't water the plant too often. Once every two weeks or twice is enough. Doing so will speed up the drying process before harvesting the produce.
Step 2. Add mulch to taste
Once the weather starts to warm up, you should add a little mulch around the stems. Doing so will save the soil moisture, which is vital if the plant gets full sun.
Mulch can also help prevent weeds from invading the soil base
Step 3. Give fertilizer carefully
You can add a little old compost or similar organic matter to the soil midway through the chickpea growing season. As previously explained, do not add too much fertilizer with a high nitrogen content.
Chickpeas work with microorganisms in the soil to produce their own nitrogen, so the plant has the nitrogen it needs. Excessive nitrogen will cause the leaves to grow thicker and will reduce the chickpeas that will grow
Step 4. Handle chickpeas with care
When removing weeds or adding anything to the soil, you must be careful not to damage the roots of the plant. The roots of chickpeas are quite shallow, so if you do anything near the base of this plant, you could damage the roots.
Do not handle this plant in a wet state as mold can develop quickly
Step 5. Get rid of pests when you see them
Chickpeas are very susceptible to various kinds of pests. However, you should not do the handling too quickly. Wait until you find the pest before doing anything to get rid of it.
- Adult aphids, leafhoppers, and other fleas can be removed with water spray from a hose or insecticidal soap.
- Once you see an adult pest, find the eggs and crush them with your finger. Or, cut a leaf with nits on it.
- For severe pest attacks, try using natural pesticides that are safe for foodstuffs containing pyrethrins.
- You should also keep the garden free of debris to reduce the number of pests.
Step 6. Watch out for symptoms of disease in chickpeas
This plant is very susceptible to several types of diseases, including blight, mosaic, and anthracnose. Plant disease-resistant varieties if possible.
- To prevent the spread of disease, keep the soil of this plant free of debris and do not handle it wet.
- Remove and dispose of diseased plants to prevent the spread of disease. Burn it or throw it in the trash, but don't use the plant to make compost.
Method 4 of 4: Part Four: Harvesting Chickpeas
Step 1. Harvest fresh
If you want to eat fresh chickpeas, you can pluck the chickpeas pods while they are still green and immature. Eat chickpeas like eating chickpeas.
Chickpeas pods are only 2.5 to 5 cm long, and each pod holds only one to three beans
Step 2. Harvest the dried chickpeas
The most common way to harvest chickpeas is to dry them. To do this, you'll need to harvest the whole plant when the leaves begin to wilt and turn brown. Place the plant on a flat, warm surface. Allow the pod to dry naturally in a warm, well-ventilated area. Pick up the nuts when the pod begins to open.
- Mature seeds can feel very tough. When you bite into it, the mature chickpea seeds will not bend.
- If the weather is damp, bring harvested plants or pods indoors and dry them again. Otherwise, mold may appear on the surface of the pod and may damage the chickpeas inside.
- Also keep in mind that rats and other rodents can threaten your crop if you let them dry outside.
Step 3. Store chickpeas properly
Fresh, unpeeled chickpeas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Peeled and dried chickpeas should be stored in a cool, dry place so they can last up to a year.
- Store the dried chickpeas in a container with a tight-fitting lid if you intend to store them for more than a few days.
- Chickpeas can also be frozen, canned, or sprouted.
