Growing chick peas

Garden updates , , , 2 Comments

Now this is a first for this little farm.

I have decided to try something new.

And a way of adding some goodness to the poor top potager soil. Impoverished, slightly abandoned, you name it, I haven’t loved this part of the vegetable garden area since I sowed red clover as a green manure two years ago.

I ordered my seeds. I sowed them in root trainers. They whooshed into growth (unlike a lot of sulkers).

And last weekend I planted them out.

And in that reckless way of the experienced vegetable grower, I neglected to read up on the best method for sowing and planting out first.

Daredevil.

This thought came to me as I planted them about a foot apart in the garden. I wonder if this is right?

But I was running late and just thought I’d give it a go.

Now back in the comfort of a computer and access to the internet it turns out I may not have done the best possible job here.

I did well on the soil prep according to the wonderful Garden Organic website:

“Chickpeas need a well-drained soil with full sun. The ideal is a relatively poor soil, as high levels of nutrients encourage lush growth, prone to developing mildews and related diseases. Avoid heavy clays or shady sites. Unlike many crops chickpeas don’t need a very fine seedbed and appear to germinate more readily on roughly cultivated soil.”

But perhaps I should have done a spot of direct sowing.

“If birds or rodents eating the seed are a problem, start chickpeas off in modules, but they resent transplanting and do better if sown where they are to grow.”

And it looks like I was a bit generous with the planting distances:

“Sow chickpeas as you would for dwarf French beans, at a spacing of 7-13cm (3-5in) between plants and 20-25cm (8-10in) between rows. If growing in a bed allow 15cm/6in between plants in all directions.”

Still. It’s fun to try. And I promise to keep you updated on the progress. They may sneak into the background shots of the Charlotte potatoes I have sown in dull straight rows beside the chick peas.

First mow of the year. First mulch with the grass cuttings.  Dare I hope that we are really into the swing of spring at last?
Here is the fact sheet for the chickpeas if you want to give it a go.

Click to access FactsheetChickpes.pdf