Lentils are a nutritious legume crop, and their growing method is simple and easy to pick up

Lentil is an annual herbaceous plant in the legume family, and in some places it is also called bingdou or bindou. The plant is not tall, its stems are slender and soft, and the tips of its pinnate compound leaves often carry tendrils; it produces small pale flowers. The pods it sets are flat and short, usually containing only one or two seeds; the seeds are flat and round, slightly thicker in the middle and thin at the edges, shaped much like a small saucer, which is also its most recognizable feature.

Lentils prefer a cool, dry climate and have fairly strong drought tolerance, but they greatly dislike waterlogging. When planting, generally choose a plot with plenty of sunlight and good drainage; after sowing in spring, just keep the soil slightly moist, since too much watering instead tends to cause root rot. Its growing period is not long; once the pods dry out and turn brown, they can be harvested and threshed, then dried clean and stored.

Lentil seeds are fairly rich in protein and starch, and are often used to make porridge or soup, or ground into flour for coarse grain foods; the young sprouts they produce can also be eaten. In some regions, they are also used as green manure or livestock forage, making them a small coarse grain with quite a wide range of uses.

When growing a small amount of lentils at home, the most important thing to watch is controlling watering and preventing waterlogging; drain promptly during the rainy season, and usually keep an eye out for common legume pests such as aphids. As long as there is plenty of light and the soil does not become waterlogged, it is actually quite friendly to beginners, and interested gardening enthusiasts can try growing a small pot on a balcony.