It's safe to say that peanuts are an underrated way to add variety to your garden. This is a heat-loving plant, easy to care for and can provide a lot of benefits, both for the soil and in terms of yield.

With a little effort, it is quite possible to get wonderful fruits that have a number of useful and nutritional properties.

We’ll talk about where and how peanuts grow, as well as the intricacies of growing the crop in Russia, in the article below.

Description of the plant

Cultivated peanut belongs to the legume family and is a small, 25-40 centimeters tall, branched plant. During flowering, yellow-red flowers appear on it.

The flowering period itself takes exactly one day and ends with complete pollination of the flowers.

Some time after pollination, the plant begins to bear fruit. The fruits are covered with a thick crust and buried in the ground, where they ripen in 2-4 pieces.

Where does it grow

Peanuts are begged on a large scale in America, Africa and Indonesia, since their ripening requires a temperature of at least 20 degrees.

Also, Ukraine and the south of Russia are well suited for these purposes. But if desired, peanuts can be left out special labor Grow in a greenhouse if you follow the care instructions.

Care should be taken good lighting and intensive watering, otherwise there is a risk of collecting unripe fruits. That is why the greenhouse - the best choice for more northern latitudes.

For successful gestation, peanuts should be planted in loose and moist soil. This type of soil will not prevent the peanuts from burrowing into the ground. Clay soil V in this case won't fit at all.

Beneficial features

The main advantage of peanuts is its high calorie content and vitamin composition. The fruits contain vitamin C, niacin, B1, B2. You can also highlight the saturation of nuts with phosphorus and iron. Its use has a positive effect on the body and benefits the brain.

The calorie content of peanuts is 567 kcal per 100 grams. This is due to the high protein and fat content of its fruits. With a fairly low carbohydrate content.

100 grams of peanuts contain:

• Carbohydrates – 9.9 grams
• Protein – 26.3 grams
• Fat – 45.2 grams

Main varieties

Peanut varieties can be divided into four groups:

• Virginia
• Valencia
• Spanish
• Runner

These groups combine many varieties that are similar in their characteristics within the group. Basically, varieties can be distinguished by the type of leaves and the shape of the shoots.

The Virginia variety is characterized by the largest fruit size. It is capable of growing up to 55 centimeters, and the pods are located at a distance of 7 cm from the surface. This variety is considered selected and has excellent taste. For this reason, it can often be found fried.

Valencia, or Redskin, can be easily identified by its reddish shoots and tall shoot growth, some specimens can reach a height of more than a meter. The fruits are large-kerneled with reddish skin, each pod contains three nuts.

Spanish peanuts are distinguished by their high oil content and medium-sized fruits. Its productivity can be described as average. It is this variety that can most often be bought in the store in salted form.

And finally, the Runner variety. This variety is distinguished by larger fruits compared to the Spanish and Valencia varieties. And it is also distinguished by high yield and taste. This variety Quite versatile and suitable for both making butter and eating fried.

Growing and sowing seeds

Both peeled and unshelled peanuts are suitable for cultivation. Unfortunately, salted or fried options are completely unsuitable.

The easiest way is to use seedlings, since for open sowing requires high-quality soil and temperatures from 25 to 35 degrees. Such conditions are not uncommon in southern latitudes, but in more northern areas, achieving them can be quite a labor-intensive process.

To begin with, you should soak the seeds in water and wrap them in a damp napkin or rag. After the sprouts appear, each seed is planted in a separate container with prepared loose soil. It is important that there are no weeds in the ground and a moderate watering regime is maintained. The soil should always be slightly moist. You can start growing as early as April, so that you can plant seedlings in the garden at the beginning of June.

Plants should be planted at intervals of 15-20 centimeters, always in beds with loose soil. The distance between the beds should be at least 50 centimeters.

Rules of care

In the northern regions, it is best to grow peanuts in greenhouses. This will make it easier to maintain desired temperature and does not worry about the ripening of the fruit. Optimal temperature growing 20-25 degrees.

If there is no rain for a long time, peanuts require watering every 10-12 days. It is important to ensure that the soil is moistened, but not too much. It is better to stop watering a month before harvest. Peanuts also need to be weeded every time after rain or watering.

Peanuts suffer from the same pests as the entire legume family. And in the early stages, birds encroach on it. For getting good harvest these factors should be taken into account and the necessary measures taken in time.

Application

Due to their high fat content, peanuts are most often used to make butter. It compares favorably with the usual sunflower oil because it does not burn and does not absorb the smell of food.

You can also make a paste from peanuts. It has an unusual taste and goes well with bread. This paste is well suited for children's breakfasts, because it will have all the beneficial properties of peanuts.

The fruits can be consumed both fried and salted. What makes it a good and healthy treat for winter period because of its vitamin composition and beneficial properties.

Growing peanuts is not the most labor-intensive process. In general, this plant is quite unpretentious. With all its beneficial properties and rich taste, peanuts can become welcome guest in any garden.

How it grows peanut in the Ryazan region, watch the following video:

Groundnuts, which are so loved by many, can be grown in the garden. Growing peanuts is not as difficult a process as it might seem. You just need to choose and sow early ripening variety, and also strictly follow all agrotechnical recommendations.

Despite the fact that peanuts are considered a nut, they are actually a distant relative of beans. This is an annual legume with a height of about 0.5-0.6 m, having a tap root, which, in turn, goes deep by 1.5 m. The diameter of the upper part of the rhizome can reach 1 m, which, in fact, explains the resistance of peanuts to droughts

The leaves are pinnate and have a dark green tint. The flowers are collected in inflorescences in the leaf axils and are orange or yellow in color. One flower develops in an inflorescence, due to which the flowering phase lasts from the last days of June until the onset of autumn cold. The flowers open at about 7 am and bloom until noon.

Note! Each bush produces an average of 30-70 beans and about 2,000 flowers.

A few days after flowering, in place of each flower, a young ovary begins to develop, which is a kind of aerial “root”, bending and heading towards the ground. In the language of science, these ovaries are called gynophores and are designed to protect the offspring from drought and heat. The upper part of the gynophore, after penetrating into the soil, quickly grows and forms a bean that has the shape of a cocoon or cylinder (for this reason, soil looseness is so important when growing the crop). Each such bean produces from 1 to 4 rose seeds oval shape.

Basic requirements for growing peanuts on the site

Let's consider what conditions should be provided for normal development culture.

If at least one of the above conditions is violated, the crop will begin to hurt - spots will form on its leaves, indicating the development of root rot.

Stage one. Preparing the site

Start preparing your beds in the fall. Dig up the selected area to the depth of a bayonet shovel, then apply organic fertilizer– compost, humus or wood ash at the rate of 2-3 kg/m². In the spring, cultivate the area (to a depth of no more than 10 cm) and remove the weeds along with the roots. It is also advisable to add nitrophoska (approximately 50 g/m²).

Stage two. Selecting and preparing planting material

To obtain greatest harvest, give preference to zoned varieties. Buy them from a reliable gardening store or, alternatively, from friends or neighbors. Not only beans (crushed/whole), but also husked seeds can be used as seeds.

The most common varieties of peanuts in temperate climates include the following:

• Stepnyak;
• Klinskaya;
• Krasnodarets 14;
• Valencia 433.

Note! When purchasing, be extremely careful so that you are not given fried or otherwise processed grains. Otherwise, time and money will be wasted.

Groundnuts can be grown either by sowing in open soil or by seedlings. If you prefer the first option, then use only those seeds that were collected no more than 2 years ago (germination is lost over the years). Regardless of the chosen method, grains must be germinated around the end of April. To do this, follow the instructions below.

Step one. Take the seeds and dip them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes to disinfect.

Step two. Wash the seeds running water and soak for germination. After 10 days, the first shoots form.

Step three. Harden the resulting sprouts. To do this, keep them in a room with a temperature of about 3°C ​​during the day for several days, and at night transfer them to room temperature.

Stage two. Landing

Method one. Planting in open soil

When temperature regime will be at least 20°C (for the forest-steppe this is usually mid-May), and the ground at a 10-centimeter depth will warm up to at least 15°C, you can begin sowing sprouted seeds. If the temperature is lower, the seeds will simply rot before they have time to sprout.

Prepare the area for sowing using one of two possible schemes:

• square-cluster (0.7x0.7 m or 0.6x0.6 m), in which 5-6 grains must be placed in a hole;
• wide-row (distance between bushes is 15-20 cm, row spacing is about 60 cm).

In both the first and second methods, the sowing depth should be 6-8 cm. Take only large grains, since small or damaged seedlings may not sprout. After sowing, fill the holes with soil and compact them lightly. It is worth noting that the nut shell contains many beneficial microorganisms, so many gardeners crush it and place it in the holes during planting.

Note! At first, protect the plantings from birds (such as magpies, crows, etc.), because they can destroy not only young shoots, but also seeding material.

To protect against mole crickets, you can make one simple bait: collect grain and peelings, dig it all in the garden bed, and then cover it with a piece of roofing material. Sprinkle manure or plant debris on top. Make several of these baits and look through them from time to time while collecting mole crickets.

Video - Planting Peanuts

Method two. Growing seedlings

As noted earlier, peanuts can also be grown using seedlings. In this case, proceed according to the following algorithm.

Table. How to grow peanuts from seedlings

Steps, no.	Short description	Illustration
Step 1	At the beginning of April, fill plastic cups light soil.
Step 2	Place the seeds in the soil, deepening it about 3 cm.
Step 3	Place the cups on a well-lit windowsill.
Step 4	Water your crops moderately.
Step 5	At the same time, prepare the bed - dig it up, fertilize it and remove weeds. In short, do everything listed above.
Step 6	In early June, when the seedlings are 28-30 days old (for regions with a temperate climate, this period can increase to 60 days), transplant the sprouts into the soil using one of the same schemes as when sowing seeds.

Stage three. Further care

In May, the ground is still sufficiently moistened with melt water, which means it should be watered only after the mass emergence of seedlings (twice a month, using only water heated in the sun). Better resort to drip irrigation or, as an option, furrow irrigation. Young shoots will immediately give yellow color.

No less an important condition A good harvest is achieved by periodic hilling.

Perform this procedure several times per season.

1. Before flowering, hill up the plants to a height of 0.5-0.7 m.
2. Hill up the second time 10 days after the start of flowering.
3. In the future, do this every 10 days, over time reducing the distance between the gynophores that appeared during flowering and the ground. Perform the final hilling in early August.

Video - Hilling peanuts

Finally, apply min three times. fertilizers, namely 450 g of potassium (if we are talking about sandy loam soil), 500-600 g of phosphorus and 450-600 g of nitrogen for every hundred square meters of land.

Apply fertilizer:

• during the formation of true leaves;
• during tying buds;
• during fruit set.

Stage four. Harvesting

By mid-autumn the fruits should ripen. Approximately in early October, when the weather is dry outside, dig up the bushes with a shovel. Lightly shake each bush off the ground, turn it over and place it on the ground with the root system facing up so that the fruits dry out a little. Then move them indoors or under a canopy to dry and keep them there for at least 4 days.

When the stems dry naturally, start processing the groundnuts. Next, dry the fruits at room temperature and place for storage in cardboard boxes (you can use small canvas bags instead). Store fruits in a dry and well-ventilated place.

Note! To speed up the drying process, you can use, for example, an oven, but the temperature in the appliance should not exceed 40°C.

About other ways to grow peanuts

There are other, less popular growing methods, which in fairness should also be familiarized with (at least in general terms).

On warm beds

When choosing one method or another, you should pay attention to warm beds. Prepare the latter in the fall or in early spring, following the instructions below.

Step one. Decide on a location and dig trenches 15-20 cm deep. The recommended width of the beds is 1 m; as for the length, it can be any.

Step two. Lay the top layer of soil on one side of the trench, and the bottom layer on the other.

Step three. Cover the bottom with the remains of plants, sprinkle them with a small amount of soil. Scatter rotted compost on top.

Step four. Cover the beds with a top layer of soil.

After about 60 days, the beds will consist of warm, nutritious soil, which is ideal for growing the crop.

At home

After growing the seedlings, you can keep 2-3 sprouts for yourself to grow on the windowsill.

Step one. Take a wide container, fill it with soil mixed with sand/humus.

Step two. Plant the plants in the soil, place the container on the brightest windowsill (there should be no drafts in the room).

Step three. Expect the flower to appear and the bean to form. Make sure that the shoots do not extend beyond the container, otherwise the set fruit will not develop.

Step four. Loosen and water the soil periodically.

Step five. When the plant stops growing and the leaves turn yellow, you can harvest the fruits.

In the greenhouse

IN greenhouse conditions the crop feels quite comfortable, especially next to tomatoes (the latter should not be located too densely so as not to shade the peanuts). In this case, the peanuts will share nitrogen with the tomatoes, and the bushes only need to be hilled twice (in June).

In general, planting and care are not much different from what needs to be done when growing in open ground, except that the windows and ends of the greenhouse need to be periodically opened for ventilation. Harvesting can begin as early as September.

Video - Features of growing peanuts

Peanuts are an agricultural crop that is cultivated for its nuts. Peanuts are popularly referred to as Groundnuts or Groundnuts, which belong to the Legume family. One of the few plants whose fruits ripen in the ground. Botanists do not call it a nut, but classify it as a legume.

An annual low plant, reaching up to 70 cm. It has highly branched shoots and a tap root. Stems are straight, pentagonal. Mostly bare bushy or creeping forms with lateral branches.

The leaves are alternate, oval, with pointed tips. The stipules are fused with the petiole and have a long, pointed shape. Reproduces by cross self-pollination.

During flowering it throws out white and yellow flowers on short legs. The very long tube has a two-lipped cup with a bent edge. Upper lip jagged and wide, and the lower one has one tooth and a more elongated shape. Of the dozen available stamens, the top stamen is underdeveloped, and the rest are fused. The ovary of the pistil is single-lobed on a thin style. The lower flowers bear fruit. The upper ones bloom in August and are usually empty. Flowering occurs in June-July.

During ripening, the fruits bend to the ground and are buried, where final ripening occurs. Those that did not reach the soil and did not go deep to the wet layer die. The beans have a swollen oval shape and a cobwebby pattern on a large, mesh, fragile pericarp, which contains from 2 to 5 nuts - seeds.

Peanut seeds are oblong, bean-like, 2 cm in size. They contain 50% of the peanut oil used by manufacturers different countries in cooking, soap making, industry.

The seeds have a dark red, cream, grayish-yellow or light pink color, which protects the kernels from harmful insects. If plusa gets into the human gastrointestinal tract in large quantities, it can cause poisoning. It is easily removed by soaking. The fruits are ready for harvest in mid-autumn - October.

Compound

The kernels of the nut consist half of oil (50%), one third of proteins (35%), globulins, glutenins, starch, and sugar. The oil is filled with a huge amount of essential acids - arachidic, oleic, cerotinic, stearic, palmitic, linoleic, behenic. In addition, they contain vitamins B and E, biotin, glycoside, arachine, purines, triterpene saponins, choline, amino acids. Erucic acid, which is found in almonds and wheat, is found in nuts and in the oil squeezed out of them.

Historical information about peanuts

Peanuts became an integral part of the lives of the inhabitants of South America even before its discovery by Columbus. Historians note that the found vase in the shape of peanut beans shows the value of this product among the ancient Peruvians. The wonderful nut was brought to Europe by the Spaniards, who used it during long sea expeditions. Europeans used peanuts to suit their taste - they even replaced coffee with them.

Later it was brought to Africa, North America, India and China. There's cultivation new culture improved the composition of the soil and helped many people survive in difficult times of hunger. Ground peas were used to feed livestock, and during times of merciless wars they provided excellent support for soldiers.

But in the 19th century, peanuts were considered a poor man's food. American farmers stubbornly refused to grow this crop. And there were no special tools, without which growing and harvesting would be an extremely difficult and time-consuming process.

In 1903, agrochemist D.V. Carver began researching the use of peanuts. He invented more than 300 types of peanut products, including drinks, medicines and cosmetics, and convinced farmers to alternate growing cotton, which sucks the juices out of the soil, with peanuts. Farm owners took Carver's advice into account, and within a few years, growing the nut crop brought them great success. Peanuts became the staple crop of the southern states. The agronomist was honored with a monument in Dothan.

In the countries of the former USSR, its cultivated peanuts are grown in the Transcaucasus, in the southern zones and Central Asia.

Application

Peanut kernels, in shell and without, have found many uses over time. They are consumed raw or boiled. They are included in an incredible number of culinary recipes, oil is squeezed out of them and solvents are made, used in cosmetology, medicine, the textile industry, paste and cocoa surrogate are prepared. In confectionery products, whole, chopped nuts, as well as its crumbs and flour are used.

It is considered the most popular product in the world. Nuts are eaten as a snack and added to food as a side dish. The salted nut is fried in oil and packaged in an airtight container. In nut mixtures, it is the main ingredient due to its low cost compared to cashews or almonds.

Peanut butter is used for sandwiches, sandwiches, candies, and buns. When lovers of long trips to icy regions are faced with a choice between products, peanut butter is always present in their backpacks. It can satisfy hunger and saturate the body with important proteins that are easily digestible and provide a lot of energy. To eat it, you don’t need to light a fire in polar conditions and cook food for a long time. This product saved many travelers who dared to conquer the North Pole from freezing and starvation.

Boiled peanuts are made by boiling the nuts in brine and are eaten as a snack. Peanut oil is used in cooking. It is very soft and light, with a pronounced nutty aroma. Can be stored long time and don't go rancid. There are flavored and refined oils, cold-pressed oils, and peanut extracts (extract). Some scientists are considering the option of using oil as a useful fuel.

Peanut flour is not as fatty as pasta and is loved by chefs due to its high content of vegetable proteins, excellent stickiness and ability to enhance the taste of products. The beans are used to make lactose-free milk, and hay is made from the stems. The cake is used to feed animals and birds and fertilize the soil. Chefs of progressive cuisine have learned to cook peanuts in shells, which have a spicy, unforgettable taste.

Groundnuts are used in the production of paints, nitroglycerin, and leather products. Many cosmetics include peanut oil. Peanut skins are used to produce plastics, abrasives, fuel, glue, and cellulose.

Spreading

The cultivation of the peanut plant has increased greatly in recent times. Cultivated areas are increasing, more adapted and high-yielding varieties, special fertilizers and chemicals are produced, irrigation systems and harvesting machines are improved.

The leading countries producing rakhis are India, China, and Myanmar. Senegal, Nigeria, Mozambique and Tanzania have built their economic development in the production of this nut. Brazil, Argentina and Mexico also have high rates. In small areas the plant is planted in Ukraine, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

Growing in open areas

Sowing and planting

Before sowing, the soil is treated with fertilizers. Peanuts can produce crops without feeding the soil, but then the number of seeds will be much reduced. It is sown in June, when the main summer rains occur. The planting depth is about 7 cm, and if the soils are quite wet - 3 cm. Nuts separated from the shell are planted on them.

The sowing rate always varies depending on the variety. The genus of peanuts belongs to the Papyrus or Legume family, which is something you need to pay attention to when growing. They care for the seedlings by weeding and loosening between the rows. Peanuts do not need pruning. During flowering, it requires increased watering. To prevent birds from eating the seedlings, a scarecrow is installed on the site.

Collection

Harvesting ripened seeds early varieties peanuts are carried out 4 months after planting, late ones - after 5 months. In large areas, peanut lifters with different traction are used. If the plant is planted in the country, harvesting is carried out using a shovel. Drying takes several weeks, and then the beans are torn off using tools or by hand. Then they are dried again.

Growing at home

Landing

Growing peanuts is an interesting and exciting activity. Both peeled and whole peanut kernels are planted in the shell, having previously cracked them.

Plant the seeds in the center of a large pot to a depth of 2 cm. Use light all-purpose soil. After planting, the dishes are covered with polyethylene with holes made for ventilation. Place in a bright place and grow at a temperature of at least +20 C. Water the soil regularly at two-week intervals, avoiding excessive moisture. The sprouts that have hatched look very much like clover. They are thinned out, leaving the most viable ones.

Care

Peanuts grow well in warm, bright places. The optimal place in the apartment for a pot of groundnuts is a bright, sunny window sill. As the plant develops, the soil will dry out and require abundant watering. In the evening and morning, the sprouts should be sprayed with water. Overdried soil is harmful to the plant, and its moisture content must be monitored especially closely.

If the days are hot and stuffy, the pot can be placed outside. It is not necessary to fertilize the soil. Cultivated peanuts are unpretentious, but in order to speed up development and increase yield, they can be fed universal fertilizers for plants.

After 1.5 months. peanuts will be sprinkled with golden florets resembling flowers sweet pea. When beans appear instead, watering is stopped. This growing season is extremely important and interesting. Peduncles bend towards the ground and burrow into it.

Collection

Harvesting can be achieved in full, because the plant will have a lot of time to flower and ripen, and the ripe fruits will not go deep into the soil if harvesting of the fruits is delayed. To ensure good pollination, you can transfer pollen from one flower to another using a brush.

Diseases

Mineral deficiency

Diseases occur due to a deficiency of minerals in the soil. Peanuts are extremely sensitive to iron deficiency. Then the young leaves suffer from intense chlorosis. Initially, it appears at the edges, and then gradually spreads along the interveinal space. If the iron deficiency is very severe, the leaves become pale yellow or cream. Plants die and crops become thinner.

Iron deficiency occurs due to the high content of carbonates in cultivated soils. They block the absorption of the mineral and cause disruption of plant metabolism. Another reason for iron deficiency is poor aeration during heavy watering, when the soil is very compacted. It can also be caused by stressful temperatures, an excess of nitrate nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.

To avoid this, take into account the zoning of crops and varieties that are adapted to grow in soils containing calcium.

Powdery mildew

The severity of the common disease varies from year to year. The first symptoms are spots on both sides of the leaves covered with plaque. Gradually, powderiness affects the entire leaf, which begins to turn yellow and dry. The spotting spreads to the stems and embryos, which die even before they emerge.

The development of the disease occurs regardless of temperature (from 0 to 35 C) and any humidity from (0-100%). Experts suggest that the pathogen can overwinter as mycelium and, under favorable combinations of environmental factors, infect plants.

The fight consists of treating with contact chemicals and growing crops on well-prepared and fertilized soils.

Phyllosticosis

Widespread, but does not cause significant harm to crops. Appears as brown spots up to 6 mm. in diameter. The center of the spot becomes lighter, and black pycnidia appear in its place, and the edges turn purple-brown. The disease usually develops at the end of the peanut growing season. When the infection is severe, the leaves begin to fall off.

The pathogen usually survives in the soil and remaining tops of the diseased plant. The development of the disease occurs in high humidity and frequent rains. The struggle consists of a 3-year crop rotation and isolation from last year's crops. If the infection is very severe, use universal fungicides. Infected plants are destroyed by burning and digging.

Alternaria blight

It is rarely observed and causes minor damage to plantings. Round black spots of 10 mm appear on the edges of adult leaves. in diameter. With severe infection, the spots merge, the leaves dry out and fall off. If the weather is rainy, the spots become covered with a dense black fungal coating. Its pathogen sometimes settles on bean leaves during the ripening period and during harvesting. The pathogen persists in the remains of unharvested diseased plants and in the soil.

On young plants, basaltic or root rot, leading to growth inhibition. The seedlings quickly wither, turn yellow and die, often even before the fruits ripen. Their roots darken and rot, and the base of the stem becomes a platform for the development of mycelium pads. The seeds acquire a light shade, become smaller and have low germination.

The disease can also appear later in the growing season. Various spots appear on the bean flaps, developing into small or deep ulcers leading to crumbling. Seeds are also affected by ulcers and spots. Pathogens persist in the soil and, upon contact with susceptible seedlings, take up residence on peanut plants.

Tracheomycosis - the initial type of fusarium develops quickly at hot temperatures and lack of moisture. Bean rot - the next type - is observed in conditions of high humidity and cold temperatures during the harvesting period. The fight against the disease consists of a 4-year crop rotation, planting only healthy seeds, optimal planting depth and timely harvesting.

Gray rot

Manifests itself at any period of development. Brown spots with a characteristic rusty color form on the edges or tops of the leaves, which gradually reach the stem. The upper part of the plant dies, the fruits do not set or ripen. If the plant is sick later Before harvesting, the beans become deformed, become smaller and become covered with a dense fungal coating.

The pathogen lives well in the soil and remains of diseased plants, penetrates through wounds and develops in humid, warm weather. The struggle lies in correctly selected soil for planting, cultivating the land and timely harvesting. Watering is stopped 1.5 months before. before assembly.

Here's what you can make from grown or purchased peanuts:

Peanuts somehow did not take root in our country. Perhaps the climatic conditions are not the same, or maybe the taste did not please the residents of central Russia. Therefore, few people care how peanuts grow and whether they can be grown at home. Well didn't find it exotic plant reflected in our popular culture.

Homeland of peanuts

Peanuts came to us from Europe, but it is not the birthplace of this legume. The plant was introduced to European countries from India, even during its colonization by England.

But even distant and sunny India is not the ancestral home of peanuts; it came to it from even more distant and even sunnier South America.

What contributed to such amazing travels?

• The plant's love for warm climates.
• Ability to produce several harvests per year.
• Nutritional value of peanuts.
• People's interest in new plant crops.

Due to their relative geographic proximity, peanuts have gained enormous popularity in the United States.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Americans imported thousands of tons of peanuts annually, but quickly realized that it was much more profitable to grow them themselves. Especially considering the fact that the United States has land in suitable latitudes.

Peanuts - from planting to harvest

To date, resistant crops have been developed that can produce crops even in temperate climate. The plant loves warmth very much, in our latitudes we can hope to harvest only one harvest a year. But this should be more than enough.

Myself life cycle peanuts of interest to botanists:

1. The plant is herbaceous, annual.
2. Blooms at the end of the first month of summer.
3. Under no circumstances should you miss flowering; it only lasts one day.
4. On this very day, pollination, fertilization and formation of the ovary occur.
5. After pollination, the branch with the ovaries descends to the ground.
6. Some of the flowers sink into the ground, the rest remain on the surface.
7. Those remaining “outside” die and do not bear fruit; only those immersed in the ground bear them.
8. After a few months, if flowering has been active enough, you can expect a rich harvest.

In subtropical climates, the soil is loose enough for the ovary to fall into the soil naturally. Domestic peanut lovers will have to make some efforts when growing the plant in the country.

At home, it is enough to prepare the soil by mixing the necessary components in the correct proportions.

How to plant peanuts in the garden?

To get a full harvest, it is better to plant peanuts in the country house or in the garden. How larger area, those more plants can be dropped off. If this is your first time growing peanuts, you may want to start with a “test batch” at home.

If you still decide to “play big”:

• Pay enough attention to the selection of seeds; the success of the whole idea depends on their quality.
• Prepare the soil; to do this, just loosen it and add a little humus.
• Form beds, there should be at least half a meter between each.
• Prepare the “holes” in which you will plant the peanuts. There should be at least a quarter meter between them.
• Proceed to planting peanuts, three in one hole. To have more sunrises, you can first plant it in plastic cups or other containers. As soon as it sprouts, you can replant.

Necessary choose the right time to land. Peanuts will only be accepted if the soil temperature exceeds 15°C.

After planting, you will have to wait only two months before flowering begins. However, this is said too loudly, considering that the flowers will wither by the evening of the first day.

If pollination does not occur for some reason, you will not be able to enjoy the “nuts” from your own garden.

How to grow peanuts at home?

You can have peanuts in an apartment, but this will require a little more patience and fairly wide tubs:

1. It is better to start planting at the end of April or beginning of May.
2. Peanuts should be placed on cotton wool and moistened warm water, within a day the first shoots will appear.
3. Afterwards, the seeds should be transplanted into cups for literally a week.
4. As soon as the sprouts get a little stronger, you can transplant them into tubs, “on permanent place residence."
5. Peanuts will grow best in soil that is one-third sand, one-third regular soil, and one-third humus. A universal recipe will not only give the plant everything it needs nutrients, but will also provide sufficiently loose soil.

Plant lives only one year and during this period it strives to receive the maximum amount of sunlight. If there is a shortage of it, the growth rate will slow down and there will be fewer fruits. So it’s better to place the tub on a windowsill or next to windows facing east.

Under no circumstances should excessive air circulation be allowed near the peanuts., drafts will kill it faster than pests and drought.

The plant tolerates a lack of water stoically, without the need for abundant watering. However, upon completion of flowering, the peanuts will have to be more abundantly supplied with moisture, because they will direct all their efforts to the development of the fruits.

The health benefits and harms of peanuts

Peanuts may be hiding both benefit and harm. It is sometimes difficult to determine what is more:

Benefit	Harm
A very nutritious product, you can quickly satisfy your hunger in emergency conditions.	It is a strong allergen - the plant is exotic.
Contains a large number of proteins and unsaturated fatty acids.	High calorie content can spoil a girl's figure.
Provides an increase in the number of platelets, increasing the level of blood clotting.	An increase in platelet count may come back to haunt you in the presence of certain heart or vascular diseases.
Protects against the development of anemia and problems with the gastrointestinal tract.	It is so delicious that sometimes it is simply impossible to stop.

In fact, peanuts have many more benefits. Yes, there are disadvantages, but we are all not without some disadvantages.

If introduce peanuts into your daily diet, albeit in small quantities, it will have a positive effect on health and the first manifestations will be noticeable after a couple of weeks.

How will peanuts grow?

The annual plant has become part of the agricultural complex of many countries:

1. Loves warmth and grows best in the subtropics.
2. Requires a minimum soil temperature of 15 degrees.
3. Already two months after planting it begins to bloom.
4. Flowering lasts only one day.
5. During this day, pollination and formation of ovaries occurs.
6. Descending to the soil, pollinated flowers penetrate into it and only after that “nuts” can appear.
7. You will have to wait a few more months for the harvest, but it will be worth it.

Peanuts do not have a pronounced negative effect on the soil. Next year it will be possible to plant anything on it. It won’t be possible to grow peanuts on an industrial scale, unless you have huge areas, but it’s worth a try purely for experimentation.

Without knowing how peanuts grow, you may not keep track of the moment of formation and descent of the ovary. And this can save you from harvesting and will take a year of time; next time you will be able to try no earlier than April next year.

Video about peanut plantations

In this video, farmer Andrei Azarov will tell and show how peanuts grow in his garden in Russia, in the city of Ryazan. Secrets and tips for growing tasty, large peanuts in open areas:

I think of course you know, but just in case (in our time of urbanization and globalization) here’s more details...

Peanuts are a plant from the legume family that is an annual plant. This is due to where peanuts grow - in warm countries. The bush has a branched stem and feathery leaves. The flowers are small, yellow color. The bean that forms after flowering has a constriction and a durable shell. The fruit inside is called the kernel.

The peculiarity of peanuts is that their flowers only live for one day. Conditions environment do not always contribute to pollination, so the ovary is not formed on all flowers. After fertilization has occurred, the ovary is buried in the ground. The fruit develops only in the ground; those flowers that remain on the surface die. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the soil is light and not hard, and also to do hilling several times a season.

Peanuts are no longer considered an outlandish plant, but they still remain rare. Therefore, every gardener is interested in planting peanuts and caring for them.

The homeland of peanuts is South America. There wild species can grow as perennial. This is due to high temperatures and moderate humidity. If the temperature is low, the flowers will fall off, and when high temperature there is a possibility that the plant will be affected by fungi. Today, peanuts grow in many parts of the world, but the climate must still be quite warm. Growing peanuts in the Moscow region is possible because it annual plant. As a rule, very large areas are not allocated for this crop.

Photo 4.

Ideal conditions for good plant development are temperature values ​​of +20 - +27 degrees. Growing peanuts in Ukraine is more profitable because it is warmer here than in middle lane Russia.

Today, about 700 types of peanuts are known, but almost all varieties grow only in South America. But experienced gardeners know how to grow peanuts in the regions of Russia and Ukraine.

Peanuts are often called "ground nuts." This term was formed as a result of translations from other languages. So what are peanuts - are they a nut or a legume? In fact, peanuts cannot be called a nut. Kernels that are covered in shells are classified as beans, since this plant belongs to the legume family.

Since peanuts grow as beans, they are initially easy to recognize. The stem grows upward, and the roots are in the ground. But when pods appear on the branches, they ripen in the ground. This is due to the fact that peanuts originally grew in hot and desert areas. In order not to lose moisture, the plant protected the fruits from evaporation by hiding them in the ground.

Peanuts are considered one of the most promising crops in the world, providing valuable raw materials for the food and fat-and-oil industries. The main areas where peanuts grow are China, South Africa, India, Argentina and the USA. Based on volume, the main producer is China, but in terms of quality, peanuts grown in the USA and Argentina are considered the best.

In Argentina, in recent years, much attention has been paid to the cultivation of peanuts. Cultivated areas have tripled over the past five years. About 500-800 thousand tons are collected here annually. The main production is concentrated in the Cordoba region. The main cultivated varieties are "Runner" and "Redskin". Peanuts are planted in November, harvested in April-May, and shipments begin in June. Argentina is a leading exporter of peanuts. On the European market, Argentinean peanuts enjoy well-deserved popularity due to their pronounced taste.

Depending on where they grow, peanut beans vary greatly in taste, size and shape. The large oblong size of the Chinese nut seduces the consumer, but in reality it turns out to be a tasteless and insipid bean. The Indian's sweetness cannot compensate for its small caliber. Peanuts of the “Runner” variety, supplied from Argentina, combine both a balanced shape and size, as well as unique taste differences, the main one of which is sweetness. It's no secret - peanuts should be sweet.

At improper cultivation During processing and storage, harmful toxic substances – aflatoxins – are formed in peanuts. Argentinean peanuts are cleaned in such a way that the product is not damaged and the husks and dirt are completely removed. Another important aspect is that peanuts are completely harmless and pure. Upon delivery to Russia, peanuts are tested for taste qualities, impurities, size, and of course aflatoxin, levels of pyroxides (freshness) and pesticides.

Due to its valuable qualities and high nutritional value nutritional value peanuts are hard to overestimate. Peanut beans contain more than 35% proteins, about 50% fats, as well as most of the vitamins and microelements necessary for humans. High content of vitamins and microelements, large amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, complete absence cholesterol and, finally, exquisite taste make peanuts an indispensable product for a complete and healthy diet.

Peanut nut has found wide application both in food production(confectionery industry), and as a delicacy in blanched and fried form with various additives.
Peanuts are a wonderful source folic acid, which promotes cell renewal, and the fats it contains have a slight choleretic effect, useful for peptic ulcers and gastritis. Peanuts improve memory and attention; in addition, they are necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system, heart, liver and other internal organs.

Photo 10.

However, it is worth remembering that it is better not to overuse raw peanuts. Unroasted nuts can cause digestive problems. In addition, peanut skin is a strong allergen, so it is better to eat roasted and peeled nuts, and allergy sufferers should not eat more than five nuts per day.

Peanuts are not only the most nutritious, but also a nut that does not make you fat at all. That’s why he became the “food favorite” of all the stars in the world of fashion and show business. Peanuts in the amount of 20 - 25 nuts per day normalize the functions of the hematopoietic organs and... smooth out wrinkles.

Photo 11.

This is how peanuts grow at home: