What are the methods for growing peanut sprouts?
Peanut sprouts are the sprouts that grow after peanuts germinate. They can not only be eaten raw, but also served cold, pan-fried, and so on, and they taste excellent. Moreover, peanut sprouts are especially rich in nutrients, ranking first among all kinds of vegetables in energy, protein, and crude fat content, and they have very high growing prospects. Below is an introduction to the methods for growing peanut sprouts.
1. Growing preparation
1. Variety: Choose small-grain peanut varieties. When selecting seeds, choose those that are plump and uniform in size, with no damage on the surface, and they must be new seeds produced in the current year.
2. Site: The site for growing peanut sprouts has very high requirements for temperature and humidity. Generally, sunlight is not needed, but air circulation must be good. An unused living room or an old vacant room can be used.
3. Container: Foam boxes of various specifications can be used. Generally, choose a box 60 cm long, 40 cm wide, and 25 cm high. The bottom of the box must be flat and have drainage and ventilation holes.
2. Growing methods
1. Seed selection: Wash the selected seeds in water first, and remove the seeds that float up. Shelled peanut kernels have a shelf life of only 2——4 months, while peanuts in shells have a shelf life of up to one year. Peanut kernels bought on the market should first be test-grown and sprouted. Remove the broken, rotten, and moldy peanut kernels; medium-sized kernels are best.
2. Soaking seeds: Soak in 50-degree warm water for 2 minutes to disinfect and break dormancy. Take the seeds out and soak them in warm water for twenty hours, changing the water several times in between.
3. Sprouting: Sprouting should be done in seedling trays. Sow the soaked seeds directly in the seedling trays, then stack the trays to sprout them, with a suitable temperature of 22-25°C. After soaking, spread a layer of newspaper on the bottom of the foam box, then spread 3 cm of sand, and scatter the seeds on the surface of the sand. After scattering, put the lid on, then cover with a layer of black plastic sheeting, and keep the temperature inside the box between 23 and 28 degrees.
4. Sowing: Clean and disinfect the growing container, and place the germinated seeds in the tray. Sow about 500 grams per seedling tray, but place them in a single layer and do not pile them up. The optimum growing temperature for peanut sprouts is 20—35 degrees. Insert the peanut sprouts evenly into the sand with the tips pointing down. Cover with 15—20 cm of wet sand, put the basin in a foam box and put the lid on, and poke 2 small holes in the foam box for ventilation.
5. Management: For the first 2 days, no watering is needed. After that, check often. If the sand surface turns white, it indicates a lack of water, so replenish an appropriate amount. If the sand is dry, the sprouts will be thin and weak; if too wet, the sprouts will rot. Three days after the peanut kernels are planted, their seeds will grow small sprouts about 1 cm long. At this time, remove the seeds that have not sprouted. In summer, pay attention to spraying water to cool them down, and in winter, pay attention to keeping them warm. In addition, during vigorous growth, the number of daily water sprays should be increased. Generally, they can be harvested after seven to ten days.
6. Harvest: When the temperature is above 30 degrees, they grow in 6—8 days. If the sand surface in the basin rises and cracks appear, it indicates they are mature. Reach in with your hand and pull out one to check. When it is about 12—15 cm long and the young sprout is slightly open, it can be harvested. Push aside the upper layer of sand and pull out the peanut sprouts, then rinse with water.
The above is an introduction to the methods for growing peanut sprouts. Growing peanut sprouts has low cost, a short harvest cycle, and does not require much care. Friends who have the conditions may as well try growing them at home, so they can eat fresh peanut sprouts at any time, healthy and nutritious.