A Detailed Guide to the Latest Key Points for Growing Peanuts
We all know that peanuts have high nutritional value, and peanuts also have a fairly wide range of uses: they can be used as oil crops, as food ingredients, and as feed, among other things. Growing peanuts is actually fairly simple, and they are grown in many parts of our country. Peanut cultivation techniques are also fairly mature, but there are still many points everyone needs to pay attention to, such as when to plant and what kind of place is better for planting. So let us take a look below at the key points for growing peanuts.
1. Timing
The peanut is a plant that is fairly sensitive to cold, so we usually have to wait until the soil temperature rises before we begin sowing. Second, we need to consider the effects of summer high temperatures with heavy rain or high temperatures with little rain on peanut growth, so it is best to sow early at the right time, because with high temperatures and little rain peanuts cannot grow normally, while with high temperatures and heavy rain the newly formed peanuts will sprout, and both of these will affect peanut yield. So the best planting time is from the end of March to the middle of April. Everyone must pay attention to this.
2. Seeds
For peanut seeds, the main things to pay attention to are seed selection and seed treatment before planting. First, we need to choose seeds that are relatively large, very plump, and free from pests and diseases, because such seeds sprout more easily, and at the same time the peanuts produced by good seeds will also be better. Before planting, we need to sun-dry the peanut seeds, which can play a sterilizing role. At the same time, if conditions allow, seeds can be treated with a chemical agent, which can enhance the resistance of the plants. Once all the treatment is done, sowing can begin.
3. Soil
The peanut's fruit mainly grows in the soil, and suitable soil is more conducive to peanut growth and to increasing the peanut fruiting rate. So when choosing soil, we should pay attention to choosing soil with relatively high nutrient and organic matter content and good drainage that is fairly loose in texture for planting. Although the soil in a peanut planting site should be fairly loose, sandy land is usually not considered, because its water-holding capacity is poor and peanuts are prone to drying out and dying.
4. Density
Peanut planting density is also an issue we need to pay attention to, because reasonable density can increase the peanut fruiting rate and at the same time can also reduce many unnecessary disease occurrences. The best planting density is to sow with a distance of 30 cm between rows and about 20 cm between plants. This can both make full use of the land and increase the fruiting rate, thereby increasing peanut yield.
5. Fertilizer and Water
Fertilizer and water management for peanuts is fairly important, and it differs somewhat from other crops. If the base fertilizer is sufficient, peanuts usually do not need a second fertilization, because later fertilization will instead reduce peanut yield and cause a situation where only seedlings grow but no peanuts form. So at the very beginning it is best to apply enough base fertilizer. Second, if nutrients are insufficient, it is best to apply additional fertilizer in the early stage of peanut growth, so as to reduce its impact on peanuts. Peanuts generally also do not need watering; natural rainfall is enough for peanuts to grow, and when necessary drainage is also required.
6. Disease Prevention
During the entire growth process of peanuts, there are actually few diseases, but there are still insect pests. Usually when the peanut leaves are relatively green, many leaf-eating insects appear, and at this time we need to use a chemical agent to spray and kill them. Second, when peanuts are about to mature, there will be many underground pests as well as field mice and other dangers harming the peanut fruit, so we can use chemicals to drench the roots, and at the same time use trapping methods to trap and kill field mice.