Growing a chickpea plant for hummus does not require a tropical climate.
The annual plants are bushy and short.
The chickpeas grow in small seed pods.
The Spruce / Randi Rhoades
Chickpeas are widely used in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Indian cuisine.
Chickpeas are planted in the spring and harvested in the late summer after a long growing season.
After that, they need a long, warm growing season.
The Spruce / Randi Rhoades
Chickpeas lend themselves to outdoorcontainer-growingon a sunny patio or porch.
Spacing, Depth, and Support
Plant the chickpeas 4 inches apart.
The planting depth varies, 1 inch for small-seeded and 2 inches for large-seeded varieties.
The Spruce / Randi Rhoades
Light
Chickpeas need a spot that gets six to eight hours of sun daily.
In hot southern climates, the plants do better with afternoon shade.
Soil
The soil should be nutrient-rich with plenty of organic matter and have excellent drainage.
The Spruce / Randi Rhoades
Chickpeas grow in apH range from 5.3 to 7, around 6.0 being ideal.
Water
To grow chickpeas, the soil needs to be evenly moist at all times.
In hot climates, they need more water until the top 2 inches of soil feel moist.
The Spruce / Randi Rhoades
Water the plants slowly and deeply to reach the roots.
Drip irrigation is best.
Moderate humidity does not bother the plants.
Dried chickpea pods close to harvest harvestSafakOguz / Getty Images
If you start with rich, fertile soil, you might not need fertilizer at all.
Pollination
Chickpeas self-pollinate and dont require insects for pollination.
Types of Chickpeas
The two main types of chickpeas are Kabuli and Desi.
Chickpea seedlingseurobanks / Getty Images
you could harvest them when the pods are still small and green and prepare them like snap beans.
Place the plant on a flat surface in a warm, dry, well-ventilated location such as a garage.
Let it dry further until the pods start to split and the seeds inside are visible.
Remove the seeds from their pods.
Before being stored, the chickpeas must be treated to kill any insects and their eggs.
Afterward, store the chickpeas in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Harvesting Tip
When harvesting fresh chickpeas, look for the plumpest green pods.
They should not have any brown spots on them and they should not be wilting.
Use a container with large drainage holes and well-drainingpotting mix.
Feed the plants about once a month with a granular organic low-nitrogen fertilizer.
Instead, set aside some chickpeas from your harvest to use as seeds the next year.
How to Grow Chickpeas From Seed
Chickpeas should not be soaked before planting.
The use of an inoculant, however, is generally recommended.
Different legumes require different bacteria; in the case of chickpeas, you needMesorhizobium ciceriorM.
Inoculants are available from garden supply companies.
The seeds should sprout within 10 to 21 days depending on weather conditions.
Overwintering
Chickpeas are an annual crop.
The plants die after the harvest, so overwintering is unnecessary.
Chickpeas are not suitable for indoor growing.
They need full sun, and even in optimal light conditions indoors, the plants will likely become leggy.
Yes, they are botanically the same plant.
The name garbanzo bean comes from the Spanish term for dried seeds (garau antzu).
Therefore using them for growing your own chickpeas might be hit-or-miss.
Chickpea (Garbanzo bean).
University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension.
