Ruqayyah Snyder
Peanuts, a warm-season crop, can be grown in Western Australia, provided certain conditions are met. The process of growing peanuts involves several stages: planting, germination, flowering, pod development, harvesting, and drying. Firstly, select a sunny spot with well-drained soil and enrich it with organic matter. Plant the seeds 30-50mm deep, ensuring adequate spacing. Keep the soil moist until germination, which occurs within 7-15 days at 18-22°C. Protect young seedlings from pests and weather. Water when the soil is dry about 5cm below the surface, avoiding leaf contact. As the plant grows, mound the soil for support and increased peanut production. Harvest when the foliage turns yellow by digging up the plant and drying it upside down for 3-4 days. Finally, strip the pods and store them in airtight containers or consume the peanuts raw.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of peanuts grown in Australia | Virginia, Runner, Spanish |
| Virginia characteristics | Large seeds, upright bush structure, used in snack food |
| Runner characteristics | Medium-sized kernel, used in confectionery and manufacturing |
| Spanish characteristics | Small-sized kernel, used in manufacturing and confectionery |
| Where they are grown | Queensland, Atherton Tableland, Cairns, Bundaberg, South and Central Burnett regions |
| Soil temperature for germination | Minimum 18°C |
| Time to grow | 5 months |
| Soil type | Loose, well-drained, enriched with organic matter |
| Sunlight | At least 6 hours of full sun each day |
| Seed spacing | 10-15cm apart |
| Row spacing | 60-75cm apart |
| Seed depth | 30-50mm deep |
| Watering | Keep the soil moist but never wet or dry, water when the soil is dry about 5cm below the surface |
| Fertiliser | No added fertiliser necessary, but some gardeners use gypsum for extra calcium |
| Container size | Minimum 20 litres |
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What You'll Learn
Soil preparation and planting
Soil Preparation:
Peanut plants thrive in full sun, so choose a sunny spot in your garden that receives at least six hours of sunlight daily. Prepare the soil by thoroughly weeding and digging to a depth of at least one spade to loosen the soil. Enrich the soil with organic matter like aged animal manure or compost. This process will ensure that the peanut plant's roots can grow freely. If your soil is heavy, consider adding organic matter to lighten it. Keep the chosen area free of weeds until you are ready to plant.
Planting:
Peanut seeds can be sown directly into the prepared garden bed or started indoors in trays or containers and later transplanted. If sowing directly, use a trowel to dig a furrow about 5cm deep. Place the seeds (raw peanuts with the skin on) in the furrow, spacing them about 10-15cm apart. For multiple rows, maintain a distance of 60-75cm between rows. Gently cover the seeds with soil and lightly compact it with the back of a rake. Keep the soil moist, but not too wet or dry.
If starting seeds indoors, use a warm and sunny spot with ample natural light. Soak the seeds overnight in room-temperature water before planting. Fill trays or small pots with a seed-raising mix and sow the seeds about 3-5cm deep. Keep the soil moist, and you should see germination within 7-15 days at a soil temperature of 18-22°C. Protect young seedlings from pests, pets, and weather fluctuations until they are established.
Remember, peanuts are a warm-season crop, so ensure you time your planting accordingly. Aim for a minimum soil temperature of 18°C for germination. In cooler climates, you can start seeds indoors about six weeks before the last expected frost.
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Container growing
Use a good-quality potting mix, such as Yates Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter, and fill your container once your seedlings reach 10cm in height. Before planting, you can soak the seeds overnight in room-temperature water, although this is optional. It is also recommended to enrich the soil with a plant fertiliser to improve its quality. Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver can be used for this purpose.
When planting, create a 5cm deep furrow and place the seeds 10-15cm apart, covering them with soil. Gently firm the soil with the back of a rake and water well. Keep the soil moist throughout germination. As the plant grows, mound the soil slightly against the plant to provide support and increase peanut production. Feed the plant fortnightly with a liquid plant food, such as Yates Thrive Vegie & Herb.
Harvesting can begin when the foliage turns yellow and the plant starts to die down. Dig up the plant with a fork and shake off any excess soil. Hang the plant upside down to dry in the sun for 3-4 days or until most of the moisture has evaporated. Finally, strip off the pods and store them in airtight containers, or remove the shell to enjoy your freshly grown peanuts!
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Harvesting
After the initial drying, the pods are threshed. Threshing is the process of removing the peanut pods from the inverted bushes. The optimum moisture content for threshing is 16-18%. If the moisture level is too high, the peanuts must be artificially dried, which can be costly. Once the peanuts are dry, they are moved to storage bins.
Before storage, samples are taken to assess the quality of the peanuts. The pods can then be stored in airtight containers. To eat the peanuts, the shell must be removed.
Peanut plants take about five months to grow, although early-maturing varieties are available.
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Peanut types
There are three main types of peanuts grown in Australia: Virginia, Runner, and Spanish. Each type has distinct characteristics and is suited to different purposes and growing conditions.
Virginia peanuts have large seeds and an upright bush structure. They are commonly grown in both dryland and irrigated regions of Australia. This variety is widely used in the snack food market. Runner peanuts, on the other hand, typically grow along the ground and are found in irrigated areas or regions with high rainfall. They produce medium-sized kernels that are prized in confectionery and manufacturing.
Spanish peanuts are known for their small-sized kernels and are primarily used in manufacturing, such as for peanut butter, and in confectionery. Most peanuts in Australia are grown in Queensland, particularly in regions like the Atherton Tableland near Cairns, Bundaberg, and the South and Central Burnett regions west of Brisbane.
When growing peanuts, it is important to select the appropriate variety for your specific region and growing conditions. Additionally, consider the expected rainfall and moisture levels during the growing and harvesting seasons. Proper timing and moisture management are critical to ensuring high yields and optimum peanut quality.
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Drying and storing
The next step is threshing, which involves removing the peanut pods from the dried bushes. Ideally, peanuts should be threshed at a moisture content of 16-18% to ensure optimum quality. If the moisture level is above 25%, artificial drying may be necessary, which can increase costs. After threshing, the peanuts are slowly dried further to reach a safe storage moisture content.
Once the peanuts are sufficiently dry, they can be stored in airtight containers. Samples are taken to assess various characteristics, and the loads are then stored in silos, segregated based on specific criteria. The final step is shelling, where the peanuts are conveyed from the silos to a shelling plant, and their shells are gently cracked and removed.
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