Chickpeas (chicken peas)

Chickpea description

It is very rare to find this culture in gardens in Russia, while growing it is no more difficult than peas or beans. In addition, it is a very healthy product; it is also often used in vegetarian dishes, because it contains a large amount of vegetable protein. Chickpeas are very unpretentious in planting and take root in almost any conditions. We are used to thinking that this crop is grown only in southern countries, but chickpeas can withstand everything not only in Central and Southern Russia, but also in Siberia.

Chickpeas are also called lamb peas, because of their specific shape, which resembles the head of a ram with a bird's beak. Belongs to the legume family, more than 39 species are known. The beans themselves are large in diameter, reaching a size of up to 1.5 cm. An annual crop with an erect stem, reaching a height of 70 cm, the pods are slightly swollen and short, each of which has two or three chickpeas. The plant is self-pollinated. He loves warmth, but tolerates short-term frosts up to -3-10 degrees well. Seeds are able to germinate in poorly heated soil, starting from 4 degrees Celsius, but warm weather is needed for growth and development - 23-27 degrees. The root system goes down to a depth of 1.5 meters, but, nevertheless, most of it is located in the surface layers, tubers are formed at the ends of the roots. Chickpeas began to grow a long time ago in Central Asia, then it moved to the East. Despite the fact that our compatriots know little about chickpeas, in the world it ranks third in consumption, after green peas and beans. Therefore, in this article we will analyze all the details of growing chickpeas. The plant itself reaches a height of 70 cm, strongly branches. The growing season, depending on the variety and weather conditions, lasts from 70 to 150 days.

Chickpea planting

Seat selection

Experienced gardeners and gardeners begin to prepare the land for various crops in the fall. For legumes, eggplants and zucchini are good predecessors. As we said, chickpeas are not a very picky plant, so any areas of good light and humidity will do. In the fall, you can carry out preparatory work: burn the grass and grass remnants on the site, collect the ash, sprinkle it on the selected area, and water it well. In the spring, you need to dig up or plow the ground, you can additionally harden after the snow melts, so that the moisture holds better. Particular attention needs to be paid to removing weeds, the only thing that chickpeas are picky about is this. It is necessary to thoroughly grind the selected plot of land. Remarkably, because the lamb pea tubers release nitrogen into the soil, it turns out that they enrich the soil.

When and how to plant

Chickpea seeds can be planted directly in the ground, in open ground. At the same time, we form grooves, at a distance of 20 cm from each other, to a depth of 5-7 cm. We try to select the largest seeds for planting, and our seeds from the past, as a rule, are better than those bought in a store. You can pre-soak for better germination. This plant has a very long ripening period of about 150 days. You can plant seeds when the soil temperature is 5-6 degrees. In the southern regions, it is enough to bury 5 cm deep, and they will rise much faster than in the northern regions. In mid-latitudes, we choose April-early May for landing. After planting, if you have not soaked the seeds beforehand, then water them abundantly. In two weeks, the first, light green sprouts will appear.

Chickpea cultivation and care

The care of this plant is minimal.They sprout very amicably, almost at the same time, after a week the first permanent leaves appear, from this moment it is necessary to water well. The most important condition for successful germination is the absence of weeds and roots from them. Therefore, it is important to dig up the bed for planting very carefully, deeply, and in the first two weeks, up to the emergence of seedlings, it is necessary to regularly weed the planted area. Watering should be done moderately, waterlogging and drought should not be allowed, watering as needed, only in dry weather. The root of this plant is long, goes deep into the ground, therefore it is able to reach groundwater. Excessive feeding is also not needed, ready-made mixtures for legumes, or ash in dry or liquid form, are suitable. It does not need nitrogen, but phosphorus and potassium will accelerate its growth. Around mid-June, chickpeas develop small white flowers, but are nevertheless in the midst of their growth. Also, chickpeas do not need disinfection and processing, as they are extremely resistant to pests and diseases. Problems can only arise in the case of improper fit and care. The main condition for planting is that you need to withstand 4 years before planting in the same place; you also cannot plant chickpeas near perennial grasses. Possible diseases include ascochitis and fusarium wilting. It is better to immediately choose a good seed, only healthy and large seeds, because mutton peas do not tolerate insecticides and herbicides well. Chickpea grows very tightly to each other, and it is very resistant to various gusts of wind, quickly returns to its original position.

Agricultural technology, harvesting

Harvesting is carried out in the fall - not earlier than 90 days from the date of planting. The fruits ripen at the same time, do not fall from the plant, do not crack, therefore it is possible to use a harvester for harvesting. You can collect it until the onset of frost. The harvested crop is taken out of the valves, spread over a dry surface in a thin layer, dried, then stored in any suitable container. Important! Store only in a dry container, dried fruits, because moisture can rot the crop. What is especially good about this plant is that the seeds do not lose their germination properties for 10 years.

Applications

Lamb peas are used in different directions, for example, after harvesting the grass is used as straw, the plant cleanses the body of toxins and toxins, being a natural remedy. Chickpea grains consist of one third of protein, close to egg. Therefore, it is an essential product for vegetarians and fasting people. Unlike its brothers, it absolutely does not cause gas formation, helps to lower blood sugar levels, induces a surge of energy, and regulates the cardiovascular system. In Arab countries, hummus is made from it, even flour, then various confectionery products are made from it.

Chickpeas, or in other words, chickpeas, are a real exotic find for our region. This is the most unpretentious legume crop. And if you grow it on a large scale, for sale, then it fully justifies the effort spent. We hope that our article will encourage you to grow this wonderful culture.