Growing Peanuts

Peanuts are eaten as a snack all around the world. A peanut can be eaten wholly, and mashed peanuts are a common constituent in a variety of candies. It is also used to make peanut butter and peanut oil. It is a part of the 'pea' family. A peanut plant can grow from 6 inches to 2 feet, depending on its type. Peanuts are known by many different names; like ground nuts, earth nuts and jack nuts.

In Which Countries do Peanuts Grow?

Peanuts are normally grown during the warmer seasons in North and South America, Australia, Asia, and Africa. India and China contribute over 50% of the world's production of peanuts. The USA has only around 3% of the world's acreage used for growing peanuts. However, it produces nearly 10% of the world's production, due to higher yields per acre. There are other countries that also contribute, like South Africa, Argentina, and Brazil. Sudan and Nigeria also have a good peanut growth rate. In the USA, Georgia is the highest producer with over 39% of the country's total production. There are, however, many states like North Carolina and South Carolina, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Virginia who also grow peanuts.

Types of Peanuts

There are four kinds of peanuts that are grown and are available in the market, which differ in size, shape, taste, and nutritional value.

Virginia: They typically have large seeds and so are in demand for processing that include salting and roasting. Generally, the larger seeds are sold and consumed as snacks. They are mainly cultivated in southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina.

Runner: These peanuts have become quite popular due to the introduction of Florunner, a variety of the runner type which was grown in the 1970s and is credited with bringing it into the limelight. They are well in demand because of their physical features that include their appealing and consistent kernel size. They have a huge role to play in the production of peanut butter, with over 50% of the runner yield used for that purpose. They are mainly grown in states like Georgia, Texas, Florida, Alabama, and Oklahoma.

Valencia: These types usually have three or more kernels in a single pod and are bright red in color. They have a sweet taste, and are roasted and sold intact, with the shell itself, or are also sold as boiled peanuts.

Spanish: These peanuts are reddish-brown in color and are smaller in comparison to the Virginia type. They are mostly used to produce peanut candies, peanut butter, and as snacks. They are rich in oil, which is why they are highly preferred for producing groundnut oil. In the USA, Oklahoma and Texas are the main producers of Spanish peanuts.

How do Peanuts Grow?

Specialized machinery is required to plant and harvest peanuts. The seeds are buried around two inches deep, in rows that are three feet apart. If the seeds are planted in sandy soil which is rich in calcium, they produce good results. The seeds sprout when the soil temperature is around 65-70 Fahrenheit and there is sufficient water. Yellow colored flowers appear at the lower part of the plant, which pollinate themselves. The flowers shed their petals, as the ovary becomes bigger. It forms a small stem that extends to the soil. The peanut embryo aligns itself parallel to the surface, and begins to mature by turning itself into a peanut. Eventually, the plant produces nearly 40 or more fully grown pods. Around 140-150 days are required for the shells and kernels to develop fully. However, the growth rate of the plant depends strongly on the type and temperature.

When the plant reaches maturity, it is ready to be harvested. It has to be ensured that when removing the plant from the soil, the soil should not be too wet or too dry. When the time is right, the farmer uses the digger for harvesting. The digger has long blades, that go 4-6 inches into the soil. It loosens the soil and cuts the taproot of the plant. The shaker is the part of the digger that lifts the plant and removes all the dirt from the peanut. When the peanuts are removed fresh from the soil, they contain 25-50% moisture. For storing peanuts, their moisture must be reduced to 10%, and this is achieved by drying them. Before 'threshing', the peanuts are left in the windrows for two days to dry. The farmer uses his combine on the windrows, which lifts the plant, separates the peanuts and the plant, puts the peanuts into the hopper, and puts the plant back in the field.

If you want to grow peanuts in your vegetable garden, you won't need any special seeds. You just need to select some raw peanuts and bury them in the soil. Ensure that the soil temperature is not very cold. If you look after your plants properly, I'm sure you'll end up with a bounty.