 Peanuts grow best in loose, well-drained soils.
Some species do better under irrigation but others manage quite well in fairly
dry climates. However, all types of peanuts do poorly in badly
drained or tight, clay soils - and all types are susceptible to frosts.
As a result,
peanuts tend to be grown over the Spring and Summer months
in Australia. The main types grown in the South Burnett are Red Spanish
and Virginia peanuts, and these usually require a minimum of 120
to 150 days to reach maturity.
Furthermore
- because yields can drop by 10% each time if the plants are continuously
cultivated (right down to 60% below a full yield) - peanuts tend to be grown
in rotation with other crops anywhere they're farmed.
Planting and Growing
Peanuts
Peanuts are
usually planted in rows, 6 to 10 plants per metre. Seeds are lodged
just a few centimetres below the soil and the young plants usually emerge
within a few weeks of seed planting. They generally begin to bloom about
30 to 40 days after that.
Peanut plant
flowers are small, bright yellow and pea-like in appearance. After pollination
and fertilization of the flowers occurs, the stalk (peg) below the fertilised
plant ovary elongates and curves downward towards the soil. It usually takes
about 10 days after fertilisation for this "peg" to penetrate into the
soil.
Then - about
week after soil penetration - this peg tip enlarges and pod and seed development
begin. The fruit (ie peanuts) then matures over the next 9 to 10
weeks.
Harvesting And
Preparation
Peanut harvesting
generally occurs when the foliage begins to yellow in late Summer
and/or early Autumn.
Harvested
plants are usually allowed to dry for several days before being shelled and
roasted. This is because raw peanuts (taken straight from the ground) contain
a very mild toxin. To eliminate it, peanuts are dried as the final stage
of the production process to prepare them for consumption.
In Australia,
peanuts can also be subject to all manner of pests. The worst of these is
aflatoxin (a fungus), but insects and weeds can also pose problems.
Peanut farmers need to care for their crops continuously over the growing
cycle.
Most peanuts
also need lots of calcium in the soil to develop good nuts (which
is usually supplied with gypsum).
And although
peanuts can generally make good use of any fertilisers left over from other
crops - making them a great "soil cleaner" - some calcium top-up is usually
necessary to ensure that the nuts develop fully before any new crop is
planted.
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How
Peanuts Are Grown