Top Tips to Growing your Own Peanuts

Where to grow peanut

When most people think of peanuts, they think of roasted, salty treats that come from the snack aisle. But where did they grow before that? Peanuts aren’t as foreign as you may think—you can even grow them in your own backyard. There are four varieties of peanuts (Valencia, Spanish, Virginia, and Runner), but only Valencia peanuts are typically grown in Canada and they’re the only type grown commercially in Ontario. They mature earlier than other varieties and are the best choice for Canadian gardeners. Racz says they’re medium-sized and the sweetest variety, too. Here’s what you need to know to grow your own peanuts:

Starting your peanuts

All you need to start is an unroasted peanut with its skin still on. You can get these from some Canadian seed companies, including OSC Seeds. Plant the peanut, skin and all, about 1/2 an inch deep in May, when the ground reaches about 26 degrees Celsius. Racz says you can start plants indoors, but it’s not imperative. Your plants will mature in about 120 days.

Where to grow peanuts

Peanuts want to grow in loose, sandy soil that drains well and holds warmth. They need plenty of sunshine, so grow them in full sun. “They’ll take a lot of hot, dry weather,” says Racz. “But they don’t like to get their feet wet for a long time.” It’s also important to give each plant plenty of space to grow. In about June, says Racz, you’ll start to see yellow flowers appear. These will self-pollinate and then your peanut plant will start to send pegs down into the ground. A peanut pod will grow at the end of each peg, and your plant will continue to send these down until the first frost. Keep the soil around your peanut plants weed-free so the pegs can grow properly. Too many weeds can reduce your overall yield. Peanuts will fix their own nitrogen, so you don’t need to worry about fertilizing them.

Pests and diseases and harvesting tips

Top Tips to Growing your Own Peanuts

Pests and diseases

Racz says the only pest you need to worry about with peanuts is the potato leafhopper, a tiny insect that sucks the juice out of the peanut plant’s leaves, which will eventually start to turn yellow. “Sometimes a good downpour will knock them off,” says Racz. So, if you find some on your plant, try hitting them with a blast from the hose. Otherwise, pick these little green wedge-shaped pests off your plant as soon as you see them.

Harvesting and eating peanuts