Peanuts

The Peanut plants are back and doing well. They are unstoppable. 

Peanuts

My Peanut plants grew well, but recently started to die back so I decided to harvest them. 

Wow! I only got a handful of Peanuts :)

Peanuts

Peanuts

Starting to peg.

Peanuts

I was growing Okra in this container that I previously used to grow Peanuts. Well, I guess I missed a Peanut, because a few plants grew.

The Okra in this planter was finished, so I decided to just pull everything out and replant.

I got a handful of Peanuts. I'll save them to grow more.

These are Peanuts I saved from my last harvest. I will plant these in the same container.

I found this Japanese Sweet Potato at the bottom of the container. There was a vine from the next container that fell in this container, but did not realize it actually rooted and produced a Potato. Lucky!

It was a pretty decent sized Potato 227 grams (1/2 lbs). That's a meal.

Peanut Plant

These Peanut plants grew on their own and not sure when they sprouted, so not sure how old they are. But, they look like they are nearly ready to harvest.

Peanuts

(9/30) I am not exactly sure when I planted these Peanuts, but I believe it was last October or November, but by the beginning of January the plant was well established and was 10-12 cm (4-5 inches) tall. 

I read that Peanuts can be harvested once the plant starts to turn yellow. Just a week ago the plant looked fresh, but last night it was quickly starting to die and the leaves were becoming dry, so I decided to harvest. 

I could see the Peanuts as soon as I started to pull out the plant. They do not grow very deep. This container had about a foot of soil, but the Peanuts were very near the surface.

I was a little disappointed. I only got 200 grams (7 oz) of Peanuts. I will eat a few just to try them, but most I will use for new planting.

Peanuts

This is a Peanut flower. It will grow a long stem, called a peg. At the end on the peg is an ovary, which will penetrate the soil and develop into a Peanut. 

Here is the Ovary that I pulled from the soil.

And here is the Peanut a few weeks later.

 

Peanuts

My Peanut plants continue to grow and spread to the next container.

 Peanut flower.

Peanut flower peg. 

Peanuts

My Peanut plants are really growing and I was worried the pegs could not reach the soil, but I found the pegs get really long. The peg I show above is over 6 inches long. 

Peanuts

(6/17) I continue to pinch down the branches of the Peanut plant and it keeps growing. I hope this plant creates many Peanuts.

Peanuts Flower

(27 May) My Peanut plant is finally starting to flower. 

I bent the flowers towards the ground to make it easier for the ovary of the flower to peg the soil. The ovary creates a Peanut pod (shell) under the ground.

(6/15) This is the peg that develops from the flower. The peg drives into the soil and creates Peanut pods.

Peanuts

I planted some Peanuts I got from a Farmer's Market late last year and they sprouted on 3 January. Peanuts are a sun loving plant and need five to 7 hours of sunlight. The plant should start to flower within 40 days from sprouting, but I had this plant in the shade, so it is a little late. Peanut plants are a tropic plant and thrive in hot and humid climates. The soil should be very loose free draining soil rich in organic matter. They require about 2 inches of water a week. 

Peanut plants need about a foot to foot and a half (30-45 cm) of space due to the unique way they produce fruit (Peanuts). The Peanut plant is a sort of vine and the closure to the soil, the better, so DO NOT prop it up.  

The Peanut plant grows small yellow flowers that self pollinate. Once germinated, the petals will fall off and the stem holding the ovary will grow downward and penetrate the soil, called Pegging. This process will create the Peanut pod under the ground. Each plant will generally have 30-40 flowers. Peanuts typically develop in 130 to 150 days, but regardless, wait for the plant to turn yellow and nearly dead before harvesting. Peanuts need the full life cycle to develop. Once the plant is harvested, remove the Peanut pods from the vine and let cure in the sun for a few days. 

(6/15) This is the peg that develops, which drives into the soil and creates Peanut pods.

Peanuts

(3 January) I visited a farmer's market a few months ago and they had a vendor selling Peanuts. They had free samples, so I took a few home and planted them. A few days ago I noticed a sprout in one of my basil pots, but forgot what it was. I decided to move it to another planter and when I dug it up I realized it was peanuts. Yeah! It has been a few days since I transplanted it and it looks like it is doing well in it's new home. Something new to look forward to.

(7 January) Growing quickly.

(16 January)