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If you like hummus, you like chickpeas. These versatile legumes are a staple in a variety of dishes, from hummus to curry to minestrone soup. If you’re planning on growing a few long-term staples, chickpeas should definitely be on the list.
They’re easy to grow, nutrient-dense, and full of happy, hippie vibes. Nothing says “real lander throwback” like making hummus from your own chickpeas.
About 4-8 plants per person can provide a household with easy, protein-rich vegetarian food for a year. It’s a great way to make your home a little more sustainable and cut down on your food bill while you’re at it.
Contents
Isn’t it “Garbanzo Bean?”
Chickpeas have been a staple in the human diet since the dawn of agriculture. They are mentioned in ancient texts, early monastic rulers and throughout the medieval period.
But by the early and mid-twentieth century, chickpeas were outdated. No one but the hippies bothered to eat this fantastic legume. Green beans grew in gardens across America, but no one considered chickpeas worth the garden space.
Fortunately, things are changing. Chickpeas are back on the market. They’re in everything from vegan cooking to crunchy snacks. Those of us with gardens wonder why we’ve never planted chickpeas before.
We use the terms chickpea and garbanzo interchangeably. Both names refer to the same plant – chickpeas and chickpeas are exactly the same. I prefer the term chickpea, but that’s just a personal choice.
Chickpea comes from the Latin term cicer, as seen in the botanical name Cicer aretine. Garbanzo actually comes from Basque – and goes through Spanish. By breaking it down, the garbanzo turns into garau – “seed” and antzu – “dry”.
Whether you call them chickpeas or chickpeas, the growing process is the same. Like many legumes, it is a simple crop. Give your chickpeas plenty of time, consistent water, and a little care, and they’ll give you a bountiful harvest.
Begin
Chickpeas need about 3-5 months of frost-free weather to grow well. If you have at least 3 months of average weather above 50°F and below 85°F, you can grow chickpeas.
In warmer regions, you will want to plant chickpeas in the fall or early spring. In colder climates, plant in mid to late spring for a fall harvest.
These legumes grow best in full sun. They like neutral soil with lots of compost and good drainage. Make sure your chickpeas will have plenty of room, give each plant plenty of growing room.
If you are planting in heavy soil, add some sand and compost. Good soil texture is important for healthy chickpea growth. But chickpeas don’t need added nitrogen, like all legumes, they actually add nitrogen to the soil as they grow.
Chickpeas do need healthy amounts of potassium and phosphate, however, so pay attention to these vital nutrients when preparing the soil.
Chickpeas aren’t big feeders, but they do benefit from consistent nutrients in the soil. Don’t expect your plants to thrive in poor, hard soil. Bone meal is an excellent source of nutrients for your plants. Well-balanced compost is also a great option.
plant seeds
If you have a bag of chickpeas at the grocery store, you can sow them directly. We are talking about the dried type here. Not the canned kind.
Depending on the age of your store-bought chickpeas, however, they may have a lower germination rate. Since grocery store chickpeas are cheaper and easier to find, it may be worth a try.
For best results, purchase chickpeas from a seed store.
Direct sowing
Like many legumes, chickpeas do not tolerate transplanting well. Sow directly into warm soil. The seeds do not germinate well if the soil temperature is below 50°F. Plant the seeds about an inch deep and cover them with loose soil.
Some people like to make little mounds for their chickpea seeds, just like you would beans. It does not hurt, but the mounds are not necessary.
To dip or not to dip
Do not soak the seeds before planting them or they may crack and fail to germinate. Even though chickpea seeds are tough (they’re just dried chickpeas after all!), they need time in moist soil to germinate. Soaking won’t help them germinate and will likely reduce your germination rate.
Spacing
Space your chickpea plants about 6 to 8 inches apart in rows, but keep the space between rows at least 18 inches apart. Some people prefer to donate their plants. After planting, water well and keep the soil moist, but not soggy.
Chickpeas appreciate constant watering. They do not tolerate drought at all, so regular moisture is a must. Water your seedbed in the morning to give your chickpeas a moist growing environment all day.
Caring for Chickpeas
Once sprouted, young chickpeas are relatively low maintenance. They have a long growing season – about 100 days to harvest, so give them regular water and leave them alone.
watering
About an inch of water per week is the ideal amount for healthy chickpeas, but try to avoid overhead watering. Chickpeas hate drought and too little water will make your plants stunted and unproductive.
Unfortunately, heavy, overhead spray hoses and watering can cause your young chickpea pods to fall to the ground and rot. Instead, water at the base of the plants each morning.
Gently water the base of the plant until the soil is moist, but not soggy, then move on to the next plant.
thinning
If you need to thin out your chickpeas, don’t pull out the extra plants. Instead, cut off excess plants just at ground level. Pulling plants can disturb the roots of neighboring plants, and chickpeas hate having their roots disturbed.
However, some chickpea growers intentionally crowd their plants because, in tight spaces, chickpea plants will support each other.
Close-growing plants often intertwine and create a natural trellis for themselves. Although not technically a vine crop, chickpeas benefit from this extra support.
Fertilization
With such a long growing season, chickpeas benefit from a mid-season application of a 5-10-10 fertilizer. If the growing season gets hot or too dry, mulch your plants to keep them cool and hydrated.
weeding
Weeding can be a bit tricky. Try to keep your chickpea bed as weed-free as possible, but also avoid disturbing your plants’ roots. It can be a difficult thing to balance.
Try using garden tarps or tarps to minimize weeds. Regular weeding will also help. Pull out new weeds before they have a chance to become established.
Pests and diseases
Chickpeas are susceptible to a few common garden pests and diseases.
aphids
Aphids are often the biggest threat to chickpeas. Not only do these pests attack the plants themselves, but they can also spread the mosaic virus.
If you see aphids on your plants, insecticidal soap is the best course of action. Spray any visible aphids with insecticidal soap. Then repeat the treatment weekly until your chickpea plants are free of aphids.
Leafhoppers and mites
Leafhoppers and mites can also wreak havoc with your chickpeas. Like aphids, these insects are small, but they can cause devastating damage by feeding on the leaves and stems of your plants.
Fortunately, a few insecticidal soap treatments spaced about 10 days apart will kill these pests.
Chickpea leaf miner
This specific chickpea pest (Liriomyza cicerina) devours the flesh of the leaves, leaving behind an ugly trail. You can plant your crop a little early, relying on cool weather to deter leaf miners, but if that doesn’t work, neem oil will.
Dilute the neem oil and mist the leaves weekly or bi-weekly to reduce the number of leaf miners and return your plants to health.
Diseases
With mosaic virus spread by aphids, chickpeas are susceptible to anthracnose, burnand Fusarium wilt. The blight can be treated with a copper-based fungicide, unlike Fusarium wilt.
But for all these diseases, the best cure is prevention. Keep your garden clean and tidy. Pick up dead leaves in the fall and avoid overhead watering.
Rotate your chickpeas at least every 3 years to avoid developing soil-borne diseases that will attack your plants.
There are a few disease resistant varieties available in the market. ‘Dwelley’, ‘Sierra’ and ‘Sanford’ are all varieties that have shown consistent disease resistance. Resistant varieties are especially useful if you have battled diseases in the past.
To harvest
Mature chickpea plants reach about 30 to 35 inches in height. Pods form near the top of the plants. They will continue to bloom until frost, but the pods may also take time to mature. You can harvest the young pods and eat them whole, like snow peas.
But most people let the pods dry out on the vine and harvest when the pods have started to split.
After harvesting the dried pods, lay them out to continue drying for some time. Properly dried chickpeas will barely dent when bitten. Once dry, you can store your chickpeas for about a year or more.
Use them like any other dry beans. Soak them overnight in lukewarm water, then boil them until soft. Chickpeas often need to boil longer than beans. Avoid adding salt until the chickpeas are tender, as salt often blocks their ability to soften.
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