If you do intend to plant chickpea seeds outdoors, wait one to two weeks before your last expected frost and cover the area at night with a light mulch or old sheets to help insulate the seeds. Chickpeas have a long growing season and may take 90 to 100 days until they are ready to harvest. Because of this, you will need to plant them as early as possible.
Seedling pots can be purchased online and at most gardening centers.
Planting one seed per pot is recommended, but you can plant up to two. When the seedlings sprout, though, you will need to thin them down to one per pot. If you do need to thin out the seedlings, cut the weaker seedling away at soil level using sharp scissors. Do not dig it out since doing so could disturb the roots. Sprouting usually takes about two weeks.
Do not soak the seed before sowing it. You should also avoid heavy waterings after sowing the seeds since they can cause the seeds to crack. The surface of the soil should be slightly moist, but do not drench the soil beyond that.
You can grow chickpeas in partial shade, but doing so will dramatically decrease the eventual yield. Do not plant chickpeas in areas where green manures have grown or in soils that have a high nitrogen content. Nitrogen will cause the leaves to get large and bushy, but the overall yield of the plant will end up decreasing if nitrogen levels are too high. Avoid heavy clay soils or areas that are especially shady.
Also consider mixing in a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorus to encourage a higher yield. If the soil is too heavy, mix in agricultural sand, fine gravel, or a soil perfecter to make it less dense and to improve drainage. Avoid mixing in mosses, since these tend to trap too much water.
The plants will grow best when daytime temperatures range between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 and 27 degrees Celsius) and when night temperature stay above 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius).
As they grow, the plants will start crowding into each other. A little crowding can actually be a good thing, though, since the plants help support each other as they cross into each other. If planting the chickpeas in rows, space the rows 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm) apart. [6] X Research source
Do not attempt to remove the seedlings from their pots. Doing so can shock the delicate root system and cause the plants to die.
Avoid “overhead” watering. Water can get on the flowers and pods, causing them to break off prematurely. Pouring water over the plant can also invite mildew to develop. When you water the chickpeas, water them directly at the soil level. Once the pods mature and the plant begins to die back on its own, cut back on watering the plant. Once every one to two weeks should suffice. Doing so encourages the drying process, which you’ll want to the plant to go through before the harvest.
Mulch can also help prevent weeds from invading the plant bed.
Chickpeas work with microorganisms in the soil to produce their own nitrogen, so they receive all the nitrogen they really need. Any excess nitrogen will cause the leaves to grow bushier and may dampen the eventual yield.
You should also avoid handling the plants when they are wet since doing so can cause fungus spores to spread quickly.
Adult aphids, leafhoppers, and mites can be controlled with a blast of water from the hose or insecticidal soap. After noticing adult pests, look for eggs and crush them between your fingers. Alternatively, simply cut away any leaves with egg cases on them. For notably bad infestations, try a natural and food-safe pesticide containing pyrethrins. You should also keep the garden free of debris to reduce the number of pests.
To avoid the spread of disease, keep the planting bed free of debris and avoid handling the plants when they are wet. Remove diseased plants and discard them to prevent the disease from spreading. Burn them or put them in the trash, but do not use them for compost.
The pods only reach a length between 1 and 2 inches (2. 5 and 5 cm), and each pod only contains one or three beans.
Mature seeds will be very hard. When bitten into, they should barely dent. If the weather is getting damp, bring the harvested plant or pods indoors to finish drying them. Otherwise, mold could develop on the pods and ruin the chickpeas inside. Also note that mice and other rodents may threaten your yield if you allow the plants to dry outdoors.
Keep dried chickpeas in an airtight container if you intend to store them for more than a few days. Chickpeas can also be frozen, canned, or sprouted.
