When is the best time to plant black peanuts? A detailed guide to growing methods

Black peanut, also known as selenium-enriched black peanut, is a specialty of Hebei. It is rich in amino acids, calcium, iron, potassium and other trace elements, and is very popular. However, because its growing conditions are demanding, if you want to grow it, you must master the planting time well. So when is the best time to plant black peanuts? How do you grow them?

The sowing time of black peanuts is determined by the 10 cm ground temperature. Generally, sowing can be done when the 10 cm ground temperature stably passes 12°C. It is best to sow when the 10 cm ground temperature is stably above 15°C.

The suitable sowing period for the spring-autumn double-cropping peanut region in the south is from February to mid-March; the suitable sowing period for the spring-summer peanut transition region in the Yangtze River Basin is from March to late April; the suitable sowing period for the northern black peanut region and peanut production areas is mostly from late April to early May. Germination temperature for peanuts: the pearl bean type and multi-seed type can germinate above 12°C, while the common type and dragon-growth type can only germinate above 15°C, so their sowing period is slightly later.

How do you grow them?

I. Soil selection

Sowing spring black peanuts at the right time can improve the utilization rate of land and light energy, make the plants grow short and sturdy, with dense internodes, many branches, good root growth, more dry matter accumulation, more flowers and pods, and a high full-pod rate, making it easy to meet the requirements of high yield and high quality. Sowing too early means the seeds cannot germinate normally due to low temperature, emergence is slow, the chance of soil-borne diseases and pests increases, the emergence rate is low, the seedlings grow poorly, and flower bud differentiation and development are affected; but sowing too late, in the southern production areas under high temperature and rainy conditions, makes peanuts prone to excessive growth and lodging, with few pods; peanuts in the central and northern regions, especially common-type peanuts, often encounter autumn drought and low temperature during the pod-setting and maturity period, affecting pod development and nutrient accumulation, resulting in low full-pod rate, low kernel-outturn rate and low oil content, thus reducing yield and quality.

II. Variety selection

In terms of variety selection, excellent variety types and varieties should be reasonably selected according to market demand, cultivation method, sowing date and other factors. In many regions, peanuts are saved for seed year after year, and their traits seriously degenerate, so it is still necessary to properly replace black peanut seeds. Seed selection should be adapted to local conditions, mainly using local varieties; varieties from other regions can be properly trial-planted and then introduced.

Good seed is the internal cause of increased yield, and selecting good seed is the foundation of increased yield. When selecting seeds, choose large, plump ones as seed. It is advisable to choose varieties with strong resistance, suitable for close planting, and with high and stable yield.

III. Seed treatment

Fully sun-drying the pods before sowing can break seed dormancy, improve physiological activity, increase water absorption capacity, enhance germination vigor, and increase the germination rate.

Generally, sun-dry the pods for 2 to 3 days before sowing, then shell them after drying. At the same time, select large, plump, uniform-sized seeds with bright seed coats as seed. Do not sow mixed large and small seeds, so as to avoid the coexistence of large and small seedlings, where large seedlings suppress small seedlings, resulting in reduced yield. According to experiments, sowing first-grade kernels increases yield by more than 20% compared with sowing mixed kernels, and sowing second-grade kernels increases yield by more than 10% compared with sowing mixed kernels.

Do a germination test before sowing. Make sure to use seeds with strong germination vigor and a high germination rate, so as to facilitate fast and uniform emergence.

Seed coating has become an important means of protecting seeds globally. At present in China, after nearly ten years of promotion on peanuts, it has become a mature technology and the most labor-saving and simplest way to control underground pests and seedling-stage diseases of peanuts. Before sowing, use per mu 30 ml of Gaogiao (60% imidacloprid seed coating agent) + 25 ml of Shileshi (2.5% fludioxonil) + 250 ml of water, or 30 ml of Gaogiao (60% imidacloprid seed dressing agent) + 40 ml of Weifu (20% carboxin + 20% thiram) + 250 ml of water to dress the seeds. This can effectively control soil-borne diseases (root rot, stem rot, etc.) and underground pests. Dry and then sow.

IV. Seed dressing fertilizer

Seed dressing fertilizer, the latest foreign technology, is a great magic weapon for increasing peanut yield. It can be mixed with regular seed dressing agents. Various nutrient elements directly enter the interior of the seed 30 minutes after dressing, eliminating seed differences, with extremely high cost performance. Its effects on peanuts are as follows:

Comprehensively supplement phosphorus and other elements needed by peanut seeds. With BSN technology, nutrients enter the interior of the seed 30 minutes after dressing, eliminating seed differences, resulting in uniform and strong emergence;

Sufficient nutrition improves the seed's ability to resist adverse weather such as low temperature and high humidity;

Balanced nutrition eliminates yellowing symptoms caused by nutrient deficiency, regulates seedling-stage growth, prevents excessive growth at the seedling stage, but the root system is very developed, laying the foundation for the middle and late stages;

Uniform and strong seedlings, deep main root, developed fibrous roots, enhanced disease resistance, and strong water and fertilizer absorption capacity;

The first and second pairs of lateral branches of the peanut develop robustly, stimulating flower bud differentiation and prolonging the flowering period;

The plants are robust and do not grow excessively, and fruit branches and pegs increase; they do not senesce early or shed leaves, and there are many pods, large pods and full pods.

V. Sowing depth and density

When sowing, pay attention to reasonable close planting. For large peanuts, generally about 8000-10000 holes/mu, and for small peanuts, generally about 10000-12000 holes/mu. It is advisable to sow two seeds per hole. Hole-digging spot sowing, furrow-opening hole sowing or mechanical sowing can be used.

Sowing depth. The depth of sowing and timely covering with soil are one of the key measures for full stands of peanuts. The sowing depth is preferably 5 cm (referring to the depth of the opened furrow, not the depth of soil covering). The specific situation should also be flexibly controlled according to soil texture and moisture, that is, for clayey soil with good moisture, it can be appropriately shallower, but not shallower than 3 cm; for sandy soil with poor moisture, it should be appropriately deeper.

Compacting after sowing. After sowing, also pay attention to consistent soil covering depth and timely compacting. Especially in dry and windy places, compacting should be done even more to avoid air leakage and moisture loss in the sowing layer, causing seeds to dry out and miss seedlings. The time of compacting depends on soil moisture. If moisture is poor, compact immediately; if moisture is good and there is much soil water, wait until the surface water has dissipated and there is a layer of dry soil before compacting.