How to grow chickpeas. Chickpeas aren’t peas. And some people call them garbanzo beans, but they’re not beans either! Apparently, they’re on a category of their own in the legume family. Crazy, right?
They also have a lot of nutrients that help the body fight diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, anemia, heart diseases, and cancer. And with the pandemic forcing us to adapt to new norms, it sometimes takes a toll on our mental well-being. Healthy food such as chickpeas help in controlling our mood and cognitive abilities. It also helps in metabolism, so even if you don’t get enough exercise because of the quarantine, eating chickpeas helps in digestion and makes you feel full for a longer period of time.
And while we’re on the topic, quarantine also gives us some free time, so why not use it to learn how to grow chickpeas? Don’t worry, it’s easy to grow and you’ll be able to harvest them within three months’ time.
How to Grow Chickpeas Indoors
Chickpeas are best direct sown in a yard. Transplanting is also not advised because it may negatively affect the plant’s growth.
However, if you don’t have a yard, make sure to have enough space for about at least four plants per household member. That means four pots or containers that are at least eight inches deep. It does take up space, so if your condo or apartment does not have a balcony or only a few small windows, you might want to consider planting something less space-consuming.
Now let’s get on with how to grow chickpeas indoors.
The first step is planting the chickpea seeds about one and a half inches deep into the soil. The soil has to be loose and well-draining. Also, add compost to the soil in order to give it more nutrients.
The second step is making sure it gets enough water and grows in the right temperature. Water your plant regularly to keep it moist. When temperatures rise higher than 80ºF (27ºC), mulch should help keep the soil moist. Add fertilizer (but not those that are rich in nitrogen) to help your plant grow better.
Place your potted plants where it gets full sunlight. Placing it in a shaded area might cause it to produce less chickpeas. If you don’t get much sunlight where you live, try grow lights which mimics the sunlight and allows plants to still grow. Always make sure that the temperature in growing chickpeas stays within the 60ºF – 80ºF (16ºC – 27ºC) range.
Now that you know the general process of how to grow chickpeas, it’s time to talk about its yields.
Check this post if you are interested in growing beetroot.
How to Harvest Chickpeas
Now that your plant is ready for harvest, it’s time to learn how to harvest chickpeas.
Green chickpeas can appear as early as three months after getting planted. To harvest, all you have to do is pick the pods off with your fingers. You can then store these in an airtight container for about a week. If you want to store them for linger, you can steam them for about a minute or two and put them in an ice bath. Use a strainer to drain them and then they can be stored in the freezer for eight months.
Chickpeas take up to seven months to grow into mature ones. If you’re planning to harvest these, wait for the leaves have turned brown and dried up before uprooting the whole plant. Let it dry for a few days. Once it’s dry, open the pods and if a chickpea doesn’t crack or get deformed once you bite into it, you can store it in an airtight container for up to a year.
Before eating or cooking the chickpeas, soak them in water preferably overnight.
Growing Chickpeas
Some beans that can be bought in the market are viable for planting at home. However, it’s not safe to assume that all beans are like this.
There’s really not much available information, especially for chickpeas. Although, if you look up images of chickpea seeds online, you’ll see that they’re similar to the ones you harvest from the plant itself.
If you want to try it for yourself, you can get a couple of chickpeas (from the store or from your own harvest) and sandwich them in between five layers of tissue paper that’s been sprinkled with or soaked in water. Put them inside a Ziploc bag or anything similar, and then wait for a few days to see if they’d sprout into seedlings.
If they do, immediately transfer them into pots and enjoy seeing your plants grow. If they don’t, the next best thing to do is to look for chickpea seeds (or seedlings) that are being sold online or at local plant nurseries.
Growing Chickpeas from Dried Chickpeas
Growing chickpeas from dried chickpeas is still a bit of a gray area. While experts haven’t ruled out the possibility, there’s no clear answer yet as to whether it can be done.
Chickpeas are easy to grow even for beginners. As long as you have the right soil conditions and temperature to grow it, it should all go smoothly, especially now that you know a little more about how to grow chickpeas in the comfort of your own home.
Growing a plant helps pass the time while we’re all stuck in quarantine. It also takes your mind off of things, especially after a busy day at work. Plants are known to have healing effects to people such as reducing stress and improving the overall mood. It also helps you be more focused and productive, especially if you’re working from home.
Most indoor plants are there for aesthetics, but wouldn’t it be a good idea if you also have something more practical such as vegetables and herbs? Having these readily available at home helps you minimize going outside during this pandemic. It would also save you a lot of time and money in buying groceries, especially produce such as these.
And at this point, if you’re still not sure whether to give it a try, just keep in mind that hummus and falafel can only be made with chickpeas. Irresistible, right? Now get up and look for the materials you need to plant chickpeas so that you can harvest when the fall season comes. Happy gardening!
Check my other post on small vegetable gardening.
