growers know
The peanut plant produces its pods on the ends of pegs , long stems that develop from the aerial portion of the plant after flowering and then burrow down under the growing media to develop the young fruit .”
Development of a peanut peg .
PEANUTS
Peanuts are another legume crop that performs well in hydroponics and makes an attractive , interesting , and unique addition to an indoor garden . The peanut plant produces its pods on the ends of pegs , long stems that develop from the aerial portion of the plant after flowering and then burrow down under the growing media to develop the young fruit ( peanut seeds inside brown pods ). For this reason , hydroponic systems for peanut plant production need to have substrate that is soft , friable , and light , and with the surface under the plant exposed for the pegs to grow down into . Finer grades of sterilized coconut fiber or blended coconut fiber and perlite make ideal substrates for this crop . A well-grown peanut plant can have up to 30-40 pods , so a growing container or bed that holds at least 2.6 gallons of media is required when growing hydroponically . Also , peanut plants need a warm growing environment with reasonably high light levels for maximum growth and good air flow up and under the crop , as damp conditions favor fungal pathogen development . Crop timing under ideal growing conditions is usually around 140 days , although is somewhat variety dependant . Outdoors peanuts are harvested when the foliage begins to turn yellow and die back ; however , in a hydroponic system , it is possible to dig back some of the growing substrate , observe the development of the young pods , and determine when the peanuts are large enough to harvest some or all from the plant . Harvested peanuts then need to be dried inside the pods in a warm place for about four weeks before they can be stored . Hydroponic peanut crops can easily be started from seed . There are a number of varieties , but the large Virginia types seem to perform particularly well in hydroponics , followed by the smaller Spanish peanut types . To obtain peanut planting stock , purchase raw — that is , non-heat treated — seed that is still contained in its outer husk or pod , as this prevents drying out . ( You ’ ll shell them just before planting out .) It ’ s best to get large , plump peanuts free of any signs of deformity or rot . Before planting , germinate the peanuts on a heat pad or at 72-84˚F . The essential step with growing peanuts is to surface sterilize any nuts used as seed , as these are prone to fungal attack during the germination stage and damping off disease as young seedlings . Dusting peanut seeds with a fungicide before planting is also highly effective with getting the crop started with minimal problems . Peanut plants self-pollinate once the yellow flowers have formed and the peg outgrowth is visible within a few days .
Whether it ’ s trying your hand at a few peanut plants , producing some beautiful pea flower and tendril garnishes , or fresh edamame , legumes have a huge potential as hydroponic crops . Attention to the important aspects of these crops such as cultivar selection , tall or dwarf growth habit , disease resistance , and intended purpose is worth investing some time and research into to obtain those perfect fresh pods .
128 grow cycle