Both adults and children love peanuts very much. It can be consumed as an independent product and added to dishes. throughout the body. They are even used for the purpose of losing weight, as they very quickly cause a feeling of satiety.

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.

Groundnut growing zones

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 at high temperatures there is a chance 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.

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.

Are peanuts a nut or a legume?

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.

Appearance and growth of groundnuts

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.

To ripen faster and have more fruits, the grains must first be soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. In order to harden the seeds during the day, you can move them to a cooler room, where the temperature will be about two degrees Celsius. At night, move the container to a place where room temperature is maintained. Such procedures need to be repeated for several days.

Main varieties of peanuts

The most common varieties of peanuts include:

• Runner;
• Virginia;
• Spanish;
• Valencia.

Peanut varieties differ from each other in their stem: they may have different kind and shape. Each variety has its own varieties.

The main growth forms of peanuts can be shoots and bunches. Those varieties that grow in bunches increase in length, and those that grow in shoots are usually short and are located and lean more strongly towards the surface of the ground.

Almost every year new varieties are developed that are able to adapt to different climatic conditions. In this regard, the entire algorithm for planting, growing and harvesting is changing. Therefore, when choosing a specific variety of groundnut, take an interest in the intricacies of its cultivation.

Spanish varieties

Plants of this variety are low-growing and grow in the plant’s homeland - in South America, and in places in North America. This variety is distinguished by a high content of oils in its fruits, which distinguishes it favorably from other varieties.

The main subspecies of the Spanish variety:

• Improved Spanish 2B,
• Dixie Spanish,
• Argentinean,
• Shafers Spanish,
• Natal common (Spanish),
• Spanko and others.

Variety Runner

This variety produces higher yields than the previous one and is mainly grown in the Southern and Eastern United States of America. The fruits have an excellent taste and are easily fried, which is why they are loved by producers of peanut butter, which is so popular among the American consumer.

The main subspecies of this variety:

• southeast runner 56-15
• Virginia Bunch 67
• Dixie Runner
• Georgia Green
• Runner Fragrant 458
• AT-108
• Bradford Runner and others.

Virginia variety group

The fruits of this variety are quite large, it is actively used by producers of salted nuts, and the “Virginia” variety is also used with pleasure by producers of confectionery products.
Peanuts can grow either in shoots or in bunches, and the harvest is quite rich.

Cultivated subspecies of this variety include:

• North Carolina all markings,
• Virginia-C 92R,
• Wilson,
• Gregory,
• Gull,
• B. Victoria Cross-2,
• Shulamit.

Valencia variety

Plants of this variety are distinguished by large, heavy stems and large leaves. The bush grows tall and quite wide. The fruits are mostly large; small kernels are practically never found. It is grown in the United States of America, in Mexico. It is used to make boiled peanuts. The pods are three-seeded, and the oval-shaped kernels are not pressed together.

Tennessee group varieties

Plants in this group are similar to the Valencia variety, but the stems are green or greenish-brown. The kernels are not so large and have different shapes and size.

Although the fruits of these varieties have differences, they are all healthy and nutritious.

We grow at home

Peanuts need to be planted with sprouted seeds. Naturally, the seeds should not be fried. To do this, they need to be soaked in water, after adding a drop of epin. By morning the nuts will open a little and the roots should appear.

You need to select a plant variety based on the conditions of your area - this will increase the chances of a rich harvest. Growing groundnuts at home requires soil mixed with humus and sand, taken in equal parts. To create a favorable environment for the seeds, the pots should be covered with glass or transparent film. It is better to buy seeds in specialized stores or from sellers who have earned the trust of customers. Poor quality seeds will not produce a harvest.

The soil for planting should not be very dense and stagnant in moisture. High humidity negatively affects the development of the plant, so there is no need to spray it. The flowers appear quite quickly, their shape is characteristic of the legume family, but the color is orange.

When the seeds germinate, they are transplanted into cups, and then they need to be transplanted onto permanent place. Prepare the container in which you will grow peanuts at home. It should be quite wide so that the shoots do not hang over the edges. Immediately after flowering, fruits set. The branch on which the ovary formed gradually descends to the ground. The fruit burrows into the ground and begins to ripen there. That is why the container must be spacious. Otherwise, the ovary will dry out and die.

If the branch is in no hurry to descend, you can help it a little. Select spacers that will promote contact between the branch and the soil. You can also place additional containers with soil nearby - this will make it easier for the ovary to fall into the ground.

Since the plant is an annual, after flowering its development sharply slows down. Peanuts spend all their energy on the appearance of the crop.

Peanut loves light very much, so the place where it will be located should be sunny and well lit. If there is a lack of light, the growth of the plant will be very slow, shoots will practically cease to form, and flowering will become sporadic. In this case, there may be no fruit at all. It is better to place the plant on a windowsill that is located on the south or east side. The light should not be blocked by anything. At noon it is necessary to create artificial shading. If this option is not possible, then it is necessary to provide suitable conditions using special lamps.

The plant needs to be watered regularly. Drafts must be completely excluded, as under their influence the nut may die. Otherwise, caring for peanuts is no different from caring for other indoor plants.

It often happens that peanuts are affected by pests. Mites or aphids can harm the plant, ruining the flowering process. Therefore, it is advisable to protect peanuts from the influence of unfavorable external factors and not to grow them in open space. You can use small greenhouse structures or a fully glazed balcony.

After the bush has completely stopped growing, you can begin to harvest. The peanuts must be carefully pulled out of the ground and the roots checked. There shouldn't be any around them a large number of fruits in a mesh shell? As in the photo.

Growing peanuts in the country

Peanuts should be sown in the spring, after the weather is stable. The ground shouldn't be too cold optimal temperature 12-15 degrees. The holes must be placed in a checkerboard pattern; several rows can be made.

The holes should be approximately 10 centimeters deep and approximately half a meter apart from each other. You need to put 3 seeds in each hole. There is no need to water when planting, this will only harm the plant.

Many gardeners know how to grow peanuts in the country. A lot of effort and painstaking work is not required for this. We must not forget about the basic activities that must be performed during the growth of the plant. Excessive watering can cause the seeds to rot. But when the plant begins to bloom and ovaries form, the amount of watering must be increased. After each watering, loosen the soil so that it is enriched with oxygen. If there has been regular rain, you can skip watering. It is imperative to remove weeds, and it is more convenient to do this when the ground is still wet.

Peanuts do not require pruning and are considered unnecessary. It can be useful only when there are a lot of fruits and it becomes almost impossible to easily separate them from the plant.

If you did everything correctly, the seeds will germinate within a month. The height of an adult plant ranges from 25 to 75 centimeters.

When the ovary sinks into the ground, the bushes need to be hilled up by analogy with potatoes. After this, watering is no longer necessary, just irrigate the soil a little.

When to Harvest

When you notice the leaves starting to turn yellow, you can begin harvesting. Use a pitchfork to dig up the bush, separate the beans and lay them out to dry. It is important that they are not exposed to direct sunlight. After the shells have dried, you can take out the fruits.

To prevent birds from spoiling the plant, it is advisable to install a scarecrow at your summer cottage that will scare them away. This will save the harvest. If the plant is already sick, then it is necessary to act on it by special means, of which there are a huge number today.

Growing peanuts in a greenhouse

This method is the simplest. The seeds will feel comfortable in the bed between the tomatoes. They need to be located closer to the glass.

The space that peanuts need will be available due to the fact that lower leaves tomatoes are cut off, and the height of the bushes is small, and will not block the light of the peanuts. The legume plant will, in turn, benefit the tomatoes by providing them with additional nitrogen.

A prerequisite is the fact that tomatoes should not be planted too densely. In this case, there is no need to hill the peanuts often; it is enough to do this a couple of times in July. And at the beginning of autumn it is already possible to harvest. You can learn more about the rules for growing peanuts by watching the video.

There is no person who has never tasted the round, tasty, nutritious fruits. Since peanuts grow on an industrial scale and are considered an important crop, they are actively used in cooking, cosmetology, pharmacology, and the chemical industry. The second name for peanuts is Ground Nut. It was brought from South America to Europe a hundred years ago.

Description

This is a low annual plant, with branched shoots and a tap root. Its bush forms have erect, upward-directed side shoots, and its creeping forms have recumbent, barely pubescent stems. Walnut leaves with large entire-edged stipules fused with the petiole, pointed elliptical. It blooms with yellowish-red or pale inconspicuous flowers, arranged in racemes of 4-7 pieces. The two-lipped calyx with a serrated wide upper lip and a lanceolate lower lip has a bent sail and a long thin tube. The curved corolla contains nine fused stamens and one more free one. The pistil with a blunt stigma and filiform style has a single-locular ovary.

Fruits are produced by flowers growing in the lower part or underground, and those that remain on the surface bloom late and are often sterile. One-day flowering is enough for fertilization and the birth of a gynophore, which, tending to the ground, lengthens and grows together with the ovary into the soil. Groundnut fruits are swollen oval beans that do not open spontaneously. When ripe, they are buried in the ground, where they finally ripen. The bean pericarp with a cobweb pattern is loose, coarsely reticulated, usually having two intercepts, and inside contains oblong seeds reminiscent of a bean.

Peanut nuts are half oil and covered with a dark pad that protects against insects. The pigment is easily removed by soaking. pleases in mid-autumn - October.

Where does it grow?

Since peanuts grow in warm climates, they are grown mainly in countries with moderate humidity and fairly high temperatures. If you plant a nut in the northern cold zone, the flowers will freeze and fall off, and high humidity will contribute to the plant being affected by fungal diseases. Optimal conditions for the growth of peanuts in Russia and Ukraine there will be zones where the average temperature is +25 C. Where peanuts grow in the wild - subtropics with average humidity - they develop well and vigorously as a perennial, so before growing them in your garden bean nut, weather conditions should be taken into account.

Peanut varieties

There are more than 700 varieties of peanuts in the world. All of them are divided into 4 main groups, differing in the length and shape of the stem, seed size, and taste:

1. Spanish is a low-growing plant cultivated mainly in South Africa and the USA. It is characterized by high yield, oily small light pink fruits and disease resistance. It is grown for making pasta, sweet and salty nuts, and oil. This group includes: Argentine, Spanet, Improved Spanish, Spancross, Star, Shafers Spanish, Spanko.
2. Runner - this group is preferred due to its good taste, excellent roastability, and high yield, exceeding Spanish. Basically, the oblong nuts of this group are used for the production of peanut butter and delicate aromatic butter. These include: Dixie Runner, Bradford Runner, Georgia Green, Egyptian Giant.
3. Valencia - plants from this group, tall, large with heavy red shoots and wide massive foliage. The fruits are smooth, three-seeded, oval, closely arranged in pods.
4. Virginia is famous for its selected large nuts, which are fried in the shell, sold with salt, and used in cooking. Virginia peanuts grow in vertical clumps or shoots. Reaches 60 cm and grows by 80 cm. The most popular varieties: North Carolina 12C, Virginia 93B, Gregory, Shulamit, Gull, Wilson.

Growing indoors

Since it is impossible to plant peanuts without seeds, you should choose them in a special store. They should not be fried, salted, damaged by rot or mold. The volume and taste of the harvest depends on the quality of the seeds. To plant the kernels, soak them in a wet cloth overnight. Epin, a growth regulator, is dripped into the water. In the morning the nuts open slightly, showing small roots. The entire germination process takes about 10 days.

The variety is selected based on the terrain and weather conditions. This will increase the chance of growing bountiful harvest. The soil where peanuts will grow is thoroughly mixed with sand and humus in equal proportions. When planting plants in pots, they are covered with transparent glass or film. Planting soil should be soft, loose, granular. There is no need to spray the sprouts if the humidity in the house is high. The plant is self-pollinating, but for greater effect, the pollen is sprayed with a watercolor brush. Flowering occurs quickly. When seeds germinate into seedlings, they are planted in plastic cups, and later - in June - to an open permanent place. The young plants are planted in soil that has been dug up, dried, fluffed, and cleared of weeds and excess roots.

The container in which the peanuts will grow must be wide so that shoots do not hang from the edges. After the flowers fade, the peanuts begin to set seeds and fruits. The branch with the ovary rushes to the soil. The fruit goes deep into the ground, where it finally ripens. If the branch does not bury itself for a long time, it is bent down with spacers that help connect the branch and the ground. Peanuts grow as an annual and after flowering their growth and development stop - all the juices and energy go towards ripening the fruits.

Groundnuts are light-loving and are placed on the sunny side, well illuminated by the rays. A deficiency of light will affect the plant by slow growth, significant inhibition of shoot development and complete absence harvest. It needs to be watered moderately but regularly. Peanuts should not be exposed to drafts - their effects are detrimental to the delicate plant. Caring for and growing groundnuts in an apartment or house is no different from growing other indoor plants.

Domestic peanuts are susceptible to attack by mites and aphids. They can cause a lot of damage during the flowering process. It is important to protect it from external factors and not expose it to open areas. You can grow nuts in small greenhouses or on a glassed-in balcony. When the bush completely stops growing, the harvest is harvested. The peanuts are dug up and the roots with bean pods are carefully pulled out of the soil.

Growing in the country

Peanuts are sown in the spring, when the ground has finally warmed up and a temperature has established that prevents the return of frost. 15 degrees is considered optimal. Holes in a well-lit area are dug in a checkerboard pattern, 5-10 cm apart. Place 2-3 nuts in each prepared hole, since the germination rate of its seeds is extremely low. The plant is not watered when planting. If you flood planted seeds with water, they can quickly become infected with fungus.

In order to enjoy delicious kernels in the fall, huge labor costs and care efforts are not required. When the plant is fertilized and the ovary begins to deepen, you need to carefully monitor the looseness of the soil and saturate it with oxygen in a timely manner. Weeds must be removed. The most convenient way to deal with them is after watering. Pruning of the plant is not provided and will be required when the seeds are difficult to separate from the plant. If the planting was correct and the selected seeds turned out to be of high quality, the seeds will sprout within the first month. When the ovary is lowered into the soil, the bushes spud up like potatoes. Hilling is carried out three times a season with a loose mixture of soil from the garden and humus.

To prevent birds from pecking only the sprouts that have sprung up, a scarecrow is placed in the garden to save the harvest. In open areas it can be attacked by caterpillars, aphids and thrips. Sometimes the nut hits root rot, fungi, viral diseases. Diseased peanuts are treated with special mash and purchased products.

Growing in a greenhouse

It is considered the easiest, most profitable and in an accessible way for harvesting in areas with cold climates. Nuts can be planted in the beds between the tomatoes, placing them closer to the glass. Tomatoes are much lower than peanuts and will not interfere with the plant's normal development. It is important not to plant them too thickly or too often. It will need to be earthed up in early July, and in the fall, on a dry day, it will be possible to collect the fruits. Yellowing leaves are a sign that it is time to harvest. If you miss the harvest time, the beans will go deep into the ground. To check whether the nuts are ready, dig up one bush - carefully dig with a pitchfork, separating the beans from the soil with your hands. The plants are tied and dried for a week under a canopy or on sunflower tops: bunches of peanuts are strung in place of the cut baskets. Then the nuts are dried in the attic, away from direct sunlight. Well-dried pods ring when shaken.

Here's how to eat peanuts:

Peanuts are a familiar product that not only has excellent taste qualities, but also a lot of useful properties. Thanks to your unique properties the plant has become a popular product in many countries. The culture comes from South America and was known to the ancient Indians. Even before the advent of Columbus, they knew what peanuts were and used this knowledge.

The Indians called it “ankhuk”, used it for food, and prepared medicinal potions from it. The one who had peanuts was a real rich man, he could use it instead of money. What are peanuts today - a favorite delicacy of many people, an amazing nut that grows underground.

In contact with

Not everyone knows how peanuts grow. Visually, it is a small bush with a branched stem, reaching a height of 70 cm. It can grow both upward and spread along the ground. The leaves are oval, planted alternately, and grow on long petioles. A flower grows on its thin stem, which gradually bends towards the ground and buries itself in it, where the peanuts grow.

It is inside the flower that pollination occurs, and the nuts grow in the ground. The reason is the climate of the places where peanuts grow and how they are detrimentally affected. heat. Due to the heat, the flowers die, which means their fruits do not develop. With this extraordinary method, the plant protects the fruits from drought. Having penetrated the soil, the ovary begins to grow rapidly at a depth of 5-10 cm, forming a cocoon-shaped bean with seeds. Several “nuts” develop in one pod.

peanut field

Which family: nuts or legumes?

To understand whether it is a nut or not, it is important to know which family the plant belongs to. It also has other names: Chinese nut, underground peanut. Surprisingly, the plant belongs to the legume family, and the fruit is a “groundnut” or “cultivated peanut.”

It is incorrect to call peanuts both a nut and a bean. The correct definition is leguminous grass.

The product is rich in protein, and unlike it does not contain much fat, so it is a dietary product.

How to grow in the country, in the garden?

The plant is unpretentious, so both experienced and novice summer residents can grow peanuts at home in the garden. At proper care this process is not particularly difficult.

You can use two planting methods: seeds or seedlings. The choice will largely depend on the climate. In warm areas, you can safely plant peanut seeds in the garden as soon as the temperature reaches 15 degrees and there are no night frosts. Planting seedlings increases productivity.

Here are the basic steps on how to plant and grow peanuts at home in the garden:

1. Loosen the soil and prepare the holes.
2. Place the seeds 10 cm deep or transfer the seedlings along with a lump of soil.
3. Provide proper care.

To grow peanuts in a summer cottage or in a garden, you need to select a lighted area away from the trees. Uniform shoots will appear in 2 – 3 weeks.

Watering is an important factor in order to successfully grow peanuts in the country: as soon as the soil dries out, it needs to be moistened. During dry periods, you need to water once a week, during rainy periods - as needed. After each watering, you need to loosen the soil to saturate it with oxygen. Peanuts will bloom in June orange flowers, which will reach towards the sun. Flowering will last 14 days, after which they will begin to burrow into the ground. Stronger bushes can be hilled like potatoes. At this stage, you only need to water the bushes during prolonged droughts.

The peculiarity of peanuts is that their fruits develop slowly underground, so prolonged warmth is very important for them. In cool weather it is better to cover it with film. Knowing how to plant and grow peanuts, you can harvest decent harvest. At the beginning of autumn, you can dig up a test bush and check the degree of ripening of the nuts. The dug up bushes need to be dried for several days, then separated from the roots. If storage is intended, it is better to leave the seeds in the pods.

You need to understand the peculiarities of growing crops in northern regions. It is important to prepare the ground for warm bed, burying plant waste at a shallow depth, which will rot over the winter and begin to release heat. It is also important to provide warmth to the seedlings and before growing peanuts, build a greenhouse or simply cover the bed with film. Good results shows peanuts planted in greenhouses between tomatoes or other tall vegetables.

When growing peanuts in the garden, do not delay harvesting. If frost catches the fruits in the ground, the taste of the product will be spoiled - it will become bitter.

How to germinate for planting?

How to germinate peanuts for planting yourself to get good harvest, - this question worries many. First of all, you need to buy unpeeled pods in the fall, in which the seeds are preserved. The ripening period for groundnuts is 130–150 days, so you need to focus on the climate of your region when planting seedlings.

For growing peanuts in southern regions They begin planting in early March. Not everyone knows how to germinate peanuts at home so that the seeds do not rot.

The method of soaking in water is not always effective; it requires constant monitoring of the condition of the nuts. If air bubbles begin to rise to the surface of the water, it means the planting material is hopelessly damaged.

A more gentle method for germinating peanuts: put a few nuts in a damp cotton pad, and then wrap all the discs in a bag. After 3-5 days, the seeds will sprout and you can plant them in a box with soil. You can try not soaking the nuts at all, but planting them directly in the soil.

Before planting peanuts to grow seedlings, you need to prepare pots of sufficient size. It is better to place the containers on a warm windowsill so that the soil warms up. After three weeks, the seedlings will grow to 10-12 cm and can be planted on the site.

How to plant correctly in open ground?

Before planting peanuts, you need to pay attention planting material. You need to select intact, large seeds and clean them.

When choosing the most suitable area for planting peanuts in the garden, it is better to focus on where they grew vegetable crops. If you plant peanuts after legumes have been harvested from the area, there is a risk of getting a small harvest. The place should be illuminated, ventilated, without shadow. It is necessary to clean it of fertilizer residues.

Before planting peanuts open ground, you need to make sure that the soil is warm enough. It is necessary to moisten the soil, thoroughly loosen it and make shallow holes. To plant peanuts correctly, it is important to maintain a sufficient distance between plants: 50 cm between holes. 3–5 seeds are placed in each hole, since weak seedlings may not sprout.

After planting the seeds, you need to water the bed abundantly, preventing it from washing out.

After planting peanuts in open ground, you need to protect them from being eaten by birds.

Knowing how to plant peanuts correctly, you also need to provide proper care: before the first shoots appear, regularly loosen the soil.

Can I plant it in a pot at home?

It is also possible to grow peanuts at home. To do this, you need to provide suitable conditions for growing groundnuts, including:

• access to daylight;
• sufficient watering;
• timely application of fertilizing;
• optimal temperature.

To grow groundnuts, peanut seedlings should be watered generously using water room temperature. Keep an eye out for pests such as spider mite. When pests appear, you need to promptly treat the plant with systemic fungicides in the dosage specified in the instructions. Before planting peanuts at home, it is important to ensure the right temperature. The plant is heat-loving and may die at a value below + 15.

To plant peanuts at home, you need to take spacious containers with fertile, loose soil. Then do the following:

1. Moisten the substrate.
2. Place the bent nut in the center and deepen it by 2 cm.
3. Cover with film.

You need to watch how peanuts grow at home, ventilate the seedling, regularly removing the film. After the first two leaves appear, you can remove it completely. About a month and a half after planting, the peanuts bloom, and cultivation comes down to the successful rooting of the ovaries.

If the gynophores cannot sink into the ground, they will die, so you can help them and bend them a little.

To successfully grow as many peanuts as possible at home, you need to provide sufficient depth for the ovary to bury. Nuts ripen at a depth of 10 cm. Further actions:

1. When the leaves of the plant turn yellow and wither, you can harvest: shake out the contents from the pot.
2. Free from the earthen coma.
3. Hang the bush in a warm and ventilated place.

After 10-12 days, you can separate the pods from the roots and send the nuts for storage. Knowing how to grow peanuts at home in a pot, you can special troubles get a harvest of nuts on your own windowsill. Read on to find out how you can fry them deliciously.

Useful video

The video shows the complete process of planting peanuts in the country and harvesting:

Conclusion

1. Peanuts are not yet often grown on summer cottages, but agricultural technology does not present any particular difficulties.
2. For successful landing and growing peanuts, caring for them is an important component.
3. It is important to choose crop varieties suitable for a specific climate.
4. There is no significant difference between cultivation at home and in the garden; you just need to observe some nuances.

The homeland of this plant is South America. The climate is warm and not too spoiled by rain. Maybe this explains it unusual feature fruit ripening. But first things first.

What does the name "peanut" mean? Indeed, there is an immediately noticeable discrepancy in this - real nuts ripen on trees or shrubs, and not at all in the soil like tubers or root crops. In addition, from a botanical point of view, peanuts belong to the legume family, and here something in common can already be traced - take at least the shape of the pods and the fruits located in them, as well as the taste of these unripe “nuts”, so reminiscent of the taste of green peas. In this case, why do they form buried deep in the soil, and not under the rays of the sun, as, for example, in beans or beans? An explanation for this “behavior” may be the dry climate of the area. natural growth peanuts, in which plants, trying to save precious moisture from the scorching heat, hide pollinated flowers to form ovaries in the soil.

If you observe the development of the plant, you will notice that the fruits are first set on the flowers that are closest to the ground. Those that are taller, even if they were fertilized, but they were unable to “burrow” into the ground in time, inevitably die. And although peanut flowers are self-pollinating, they only live for a day, so not all of them form ovaries.

Groundnut is a southern crop, heat-loving, but annual. This makes it possible to grow it very successfully even in our climate. Having created the necessary conditions for the growth, development and fruiting of peanuts, it will be possible not only to observe the unusual vegetation of the plant and understand for yourself whether peanuts are a nut or a legume, but also to enjoy “snacks” from your own garden bed.

Benefits of groundnuts

It is difficult to find a person who has not tried peanuts, because they are present in many food products - in confectionery, all kinds of desserts, in sauces and pastes, in baked goods and bakery products. Due to its taste and low cost, it is perhaps the most used in Food Industry nut. Some people are fans of nut sweets, others like to nibble on them fried and salted, while others like the delicate and thick consistency of peanut butter. So what are the benefits of this product and is it safe to consume it in unlimited quantities?

Positive qualities of peanuts:

• This is a very nutritious product that is well absorbed by the body. Its calorie content is 658 kcal per 100 grams. Fats – 45.2 g (almost the daily requirement for an adult), proteins – 26.3 g and carbohydrates – 9.9 g, while taking into account vegetable origin product, there is no need to worry about the presence of cholesterol. Conclusion: recommended for convalescent patients (as part of dietary nutrition); people who have heavy physical activity (quick recovery); pregnant and lactating women (providing vitamins and increasing calorie content breast milk); people suffering from low weight, as well as growing children's body(as additional food).
• Now about vitamins. Group B, which affects many metabolic processes in the body, appearance and even a person’s mood is represented in almost its entirety. A special place (in 100 g of nuts half the daily requirement) is occupied by folic acid(B9), which is responsible for the healthy state of the circulatory and immune systems in the body. There may not be much ascorbic acid, but there is more than half of vitamin E - the key to youth and strength - in 100 g of nuts daily norm. And a real panacea for many serious ailments is vitamin PP, the necessity and importance of which is recognized by the majority of progressive doctors. Conclusion: peanuts are included in the diet of pregnant women (reduces the risk of developing fetal pathologies); for diseases of the joints (arthritis, osteochondrosis, trauma), hypertension, gastrointestinal tract (normalizes metabolic processes, removes toxins), patients with cardiovascular diseases (prevention and recovery after heart attacks), as well as low hemoglobin and vitamin deficiency.
• As for micro- and macroelements, peanuts contain a lot of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, and also contain sodium, iron, selenium, manganese and zinc. It is difficult to overestimate such “generosity” of peanuts, because 100 g of nuts per day can provide up to 70% of the substances necessary for proper nutrition of the cells of our body.

But when consuming peanuts, you should remember that moderation is needed in everything!

What are the dangers of peanuts?

Given the high calorie content of nuts, they should be consumed very limited by people suffering from overweight, as well as those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Peanuts, however, like any other product, should be carefully included in baby food. Indeed, in addition to the fact that a growing body does not always successfully cope with a large amount of incoming fat (and there is enough of it in nuts), the possibility of allergic reactions cannot be ruled out. Therefore, children are given them only from the age of 3, starting with 2-3 nuts per day. If everything went well, the dosage can be gradually increased, bringing it to 10-12 pieces. Pediatricians consider this a sufficient amount, but if the child tolerates the peanut treat well, then the recommended amount can be increased. If your baby has a poor appetite and is underweight in his age group, then a few nuts between feedings will be a healthy snack.

When eating groundnuts, an allergy may appear within a couple of minutes or after 5-6 hours. The reaction is expressed in the following symptoms:

• skin rashes, often accompanied by itching and pain;
• swelling and redness, gradually spreading from the source of occurrence along the surface of the skin;
• soreness of the larynx, turning into swelling of the entire oral cavity (a clear sign of anaphylactic shock);
• nausea and vomiting;
• acute pain in the abdomen.

If any of these symptoms occur, you should stop eating nuts and consult a doctor. Timely medical care is especially important when symptoms of anaphylactic shock are detected, in which the risk of death reaches 20%. The first thing to do is to immediately call an ambulance, and while waiting for the doctors to arrive, lay the victim on his back, turn his head to the side and ensure maximum flow of fresh air.

Taking antihistamines alleviates the condition of patients, but in the future, people with allergic reactions to eating peanuts should choose food with great caution. You should especially carefully study the composition of desserts, because often careless manufacturers, declaring expensive nuts in the name, actually replace them with the cheapest peanuts, notifying this on the label in the smallest font.

Another danger that eating peanuts can pose is its quality. Failure to comply with the rules for storing and transporting the product can lead to spoilage and accumulation of a toxic substance - aflatoxin (one of the most powerful and dangerous allergens). Unpleasant smell, mold on the shell, rancid taste of nuts - all this indicates their unsuitability.

Meet at suburban areas Peanuts are not available to domestic summer residents very often. This annual plant is quite low-growing and produces yellow flowers when flowering. Most often, this representative of the legume family is found in South America, which is its homeland.

Peanuts in the process of growing forms a branched stem. Since the flowers of this plant only live for one day, in some cases they die off unpollinated. It is very important that after pollination the flower gets into the soil, since without this the process of fruit formation will not begin. If the flowers are unable to get into the soil, then over time they die.

Peanuts are one of the most famous plants, the taste of which is liked not only by children, but also by adults. Groundnuts can be eaten raw or processed. In the latter case, it is used as an additive to various dishes. What makes this crop valuable is its nutritional and beneficial properties. First of all, people who are trying to maintain a slim figure should pay attention to this vegetable, since consuming it quickly brings a feeling of fullness.

The largest number of large peanut plantations in tropical countries. However, it is possible to obtain a harvest from this plant even in our climate. Although many of us have heard about peanuts and tasted them, not everyone decides to grow them in their summer cottage.

Features of peanuts and their varieties

Since this plant is native to the tropics, it grows best at temperatures between 20 and 27 degrees.

Many have probably heard another name for this plant - groundnut. It arose because this is what peanuts are called in translation from other languages.

However, there is another, more logical reason why peanuts are called that way. The name "groundnut" refers to features of its cultivation. Let us remind you once again that after pollination, the flowers must end up in the ground, where the formation of a long shoot and its rooting begins. It is underground that the fruit, the groundnut, ripens. This has led to peanuts being called groundnuts, even though they are not.

Benefits of peanuts

Many people like peanuts not only because of their pleasant taste, but also because of their beneficial properties. The beans of this plant contain contains proteins, fats and carbohydrates, which is so needed human body. Peanut oil is also a valuable product because it is very rich in linoleic acid. The benefits for the body of this substance are due to its pronounced anti-sclerotic effect. Peanut butter also contains vitamin E and most B vitamins, the benefits of which many people know.

However, the options for eating peanuts are not limited to nuts and butter. It is the raw material for making delicious peanut butter. It perfectly replaces regular butter, which can be spread on bread. There are a large number of recipes where peanut butter is one of the main ingredients. People who suffer from allergic reactions often include it in their diet. Peanut butter contains the same amount of calories as meat, but has many beneficial properties. It contains folic acid, without which the process of regeneration of body cells is impossible.

Peanuts include more than 700 different varieties , however, most of them are intended for cultivation only in the hot climate of South America. However, among them there are varieties that can be cultivated in temperate latitudes.

The most widespread varieties are Runner, Virginia, Spanish and Valencia. Their beans grow into stems that can have a variety of shapes.

There are also varieties that, when grown, produce shoots or ligaments. In the first case, the bushes turn out to be longer. Peanut bushes, which form shoots during development, are small in height and usually creep along the ground.

• Spanish. This variety is intended for cultivation in South and partly North America. It differs from other varieties in that its beans are very rich in oil. Within this variety, independent subspecies are also distinguished: Spanish2B, Dixie, Natal, etc.
• Runner. This variety, bred for cultivation in conditions North America, is characterized by high productivity. It produces beans that are great tasting and easy to prepare. It is therefore not surprising that this variety has become widely used as a raw material for the production of peanut butter entering the US markets. Within this variety, separate subspecies can be distinguished: Runner56-15, Virginia Bunch67, Georgia Green, etc.
• Virginia. Bushes of this variety form large fruits, which are very popular among confectioners. The main subspecies of this peanut variety are: Virginia-C92R, Wilson, Gull, etc.
• Valencia. This variety differs from others in having large leaves. The beans also turn out to be quite large. This variety is intended for cultivation in the USA and Mexico. You can eat the fruits of these peanuts only after processing - cooking. One pod contains three beans, which are oval in shape.

Growing peanuts at home and in a greenhouse

One of the most common methods of growing peanuts is sowing seeds.

If you use a cramped container for peanuts, over time this can lead to their death.

Because peanuts is an annual crop, with the end of its flowering, the bush stops growing. From this moment on, the plant spends all its energy on the formation of fruits. Peanuts respond well to a sufficient amount of light, so this point must be taken into account when choosing a place to plant them. A lack of lighting leads to a slowdown in growth, as a result, its flowers will become inconspicuous, in some cases you may not even get fruit. Drafts have a particularly negative effect on its development. During peanut cultivation, regular watering must be provided.

Harvesting. If all signs indicate that aboveground part If the bush is no longer growing, then most likely the fruits are ripe and it’s time to pick them. To do this, you need to dig the bush out of the ground and carefully examine its roots. Usually there is a number of fruits around them, and each bean is covered with a shell.

Less labor-intensive is growing peanuts in a greenhouse. In this case, the most suitable for seeds are created favorable conditions, however, you need to pay attention to what plants the peanuts will be adjacent to. It is recommended to plant it next to tomatoes.

It is advisable that the peanut plantings be located as close to the glass as possible. Since tomatoes are low-growing plants, they will not provide shade for peanut seedlings. The legumes themselves will benefit the tomatoes because they will supply them with additional nitrogen. However, when sowing, it is not recommended to place tomatoes too densely.

If peanuts grow in a greenhouse along with tomatoes, you will not have to regularly hill them. You can limit yourself to just a few operations that need to be performed in July. With the onset of September, you can choose the day for harvesting.

Growing peanuts in the garden

If you are going to plant peanuts in the garden, then you need to choose appropriate place for her. Peanuts grow best in a well-lit area. You also need to pay attention to the color of the soil, as this also affects the color of the beans.

For landing use beans or its pieces. To grow peanuts in the garden, you can use one of the following methods:

• Open. Sowing of seeds begins in the first weeks of spring, when warm weather sets in. It is recommended to choose a moment for planting when the air temperature is within 12-15 degrees. Holes are dug in the garden bed, arranged in a checkerboard pattern, in several rows. At the same time, you need to endure required dimensions: the depth of the holes is 10 cm, the distance between plants is 50 cm. During sowing, three beans should be placed in each hole. There is no need to moisten the soil after planting. Typically, you have to wait about one month for peanuts to sprout. An adult bush grows in height up to 25-75 cm;
• Growing seedlings and planting in the ground. This method will require containers filled with loose soil mixture. Sowing seeds in them is carried out in early April. Keep the plantings on the windowsill. With the arrival of summer, when the last frosts have passed, adult seedlings transplanted to a permanent place. When planting, seedlings should be placed in rows, following the pattern: the distance between plants is 15-20 cm, between rows - 60 cm.

Conclusion

Peanuts are one of the popular crops with which almost all of us are familiar. Many people like this plant not only as an independent product, but also as part of various products , first of all, confectionery shops. Due to the great love for it, fans often have a desire to plant peanuts on their plot. This is not so challenging task, because today there are many varieties intended for temperate latitudes. However, this does not mean that the plant does not need to be looked after.

You can only get a good harvest subject to compliance with agricultural cultivation techniques. This applies especially to peanuts, since their homeland is the subtropics, so you will have to pay attention to maintaining the optimal temperature.