🫛 Peanut

Peanuts are botanically unique , after pollination, the flower stalk (peg) elongates and pushes the developing ovary underground where the pod matures (geocarpy), making them a 'groundnut' rather than a true nut. They require loose, sandy soil for pegs to penetrate and pods to develop. Peanuts are a warm-season crop requiring 110-150 frost-free days and soil temperatures above 65°F. They are legumes and fix their own nitrogen through Rhizobium symbiosis , specific peanut inoculant is recommended. There are four main market types: Virginia (large, for roasting), Runner (uniform, for peanut butter), Spanish (small, high oil, for candy), and Valencia (sweet, 3-5 seeds/pod, for boiling). Harvest when leaves yellow , lift entire plants and cure for several weeks before shelling.