The Peanut or Peanut (Arachis hypogaea), also called “Earth Pistachio”, or even “Earth Pea”, is an annual plant of the Fabaceae family (legumes). Its culture is very surprising because its yellow flowers, once fertilized, bury themselves in the ground to produce their fruits underground: the famous peanuts! Good news for vegetable garden lovers, its cultivation is perfectly possible in France, so discover our planting tips to easily grow peanuts in our latitudes and to taste your own peanuts during your aperitifs!
Sowing, planting and growing groundnuts!
The peanut is a plant that needs light, permeable soil and warmth. At the beginning of spring, it is advisable to sow peanut seeds 2-3 cm deep in compost, in indoor buckets or in a veranda heated to an ideal temperature of 20-25°C. Water when sowing and wait for the substrate to dry out slightly between waterings, the seeds are particularly sensitive to excess water. Germination occurs within 10 days. After the Ice Saints, when the frost is no longer to be feared, you can transplant into the ground, in a sunny place, with a mutual distance of 50-60 cm in all directions of the feet. Be careful, peanuts don’t always tolerate transplants well. For example, use biodegradable cups to limit the trauma of this surgery.
Harvesting and Storing Peanuts!
The peanut harvest takes place 3 to 5 months after planting, at the end of summer, usually around September or October in our regions, when the stems and leaves have completely dried. It’s then time to tear off the legs, at the end the famous peanuts will be hung. If the sun is out, let them dry in the sun for a few days, if not, shelter them in the oven on a baking tray at 160° for about 10 minutes. Then all you have to do is peel them and eat them! In short, an easy, fun and productive cultivation as a plant produces about 80 to 100 peanuts under good growing conditions.
