How to Plant Lentils
Lentils are easy to grow and very hardy.
Young plants can tolerate light frost.
Plants will likely be shorter if sown later, and pods will mature later and less prolifically.
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Selecting a Planting Site
This plant needs full sun and grows well nearcucumbersandsummer savory.
They like loamy, acidic soil but can grow in alkaline soil too.
Do not plant where other legumes have grown in recent years or with onions or garlic.
Germinating lentil sproutAli Majdfar / Getty Images
Lentils don’t compete well with weeds.
Soil
Overall, lentils adapt to all soil types, but good drainage is critical.
Plants prefer sandyloam soilsthat are well-drained and fertile.
White blooms on lentil plantBasieB / Getty Images
Water
Upon planting, water well without making the soil soggy.
Give plants about 1 inch of water per week.
At least 10 inches of annual rainfall is needed.
Harvested and dried lentilsAli Karimi Dahlan / EyeEm / Getty Images
If weather conditions become especially dry, lentil plants aredrought tolerant.
However, the plants may die if the soil becomes waterlogged.
Stop watering when pods begin to dry.
Fertilizer
You don’t need fertilizer; usecompostand tea to enrich the soil.
Before you plant the seeds, use an inoculant to boost the plant’s nitrogen.
Pour incompost teaand repeat when the plants start to flower.
Pollination
Blooms self-pollinate before opening and have an extremely low level of natural cross-pollination.
Split peas and lentils are both members of the legume Fabaceae family.
Lentils are the seeds from inside pods, kept whole.
Harvesting Lentils
Collect green pods within 70 to 80 days of planting to eat them likesnap beans.
Harvest lentils when the lower pods are brown in late July and early August.
The seed is called a pulse when lentils are used as a dry grain.
To tell if it’s ready to be harvested, hit a seed with a hammer.
If it cracks, then it’s ready to be harvested.
If it mashes, let it dry on the plant longer.
Do this while outdoor temperatures are not extremely hot or dry.
Use sandy or loamy soil that is more acidic, about 6 pH.
you could use any pot as long as it’s at least 8 inches deep with ample drainage holes.
Plant two to three seeds per pot at least 1/2 inch deep.
Water after five hours of planting, keeping the soil moist at least 1 inch deep.
Pruning
If you have planted several seeds per pot, prune or pull the weaker seedling.
Removing weaker seedlings allows stronger plants to grow more vigorously and prevents crowding in the growing area.
Carefully pull, and do not disturb the roots of the plant you’re leaving in the pot.
Restricted airflow around plants is a breeding ground for disease and pest infestations.
Lentils have difficulty competing with weeds, so hand-pull any weeds or competing plants.
Also, remove diseased or pest-damaged lentil plants to prevent the spreading of disease or pests.
Grasp it close to the ground, and it should easily lift up with no resistance.
How to Grow Lentil Plants From Seed
Lentils are propagated by sowing seeds in the spring.
They are not propagated by cuttings or division.
Plant the seeds 1 to 2 inches deepspace one inch between seeds and 18 to 24 inches between rows.
Seeds germinate in about 10 days, and plants mature in 80 to 119 days.
In addition to wheat,cornis another good option for crop rotation.
Rotate every three or four years.
Pests are minimal, too.
It is very rare for lentils to attract lygus bugs, aphids, maggots, wireworms, and thrips.
If you notice them, hose them down with a steady stream of water or pinch them off.
In the U.S., they grow best in areas where they’re perennial, USDA zones 5-11.
Lentils are easy to grow; a beginner can produce them.
Plant lentils in late April or early May, depending on your climate zone and the chance of frost.
Soil temperatures should be above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
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