Watering peanut plants: how and when to water a peanut plant

Half the fun of growing peanut plants ( Arachis hypogaea ) is watching them grow and change quickly. This native of South America begins life as a seed that goes unnoticed. The small plant that emerges from the ground looks like a pea or a bean, which quickly reaches its height of maturity by a foot or two, depending on the variety.

The sturdy little plant then walks on its own drum. The yellow flowers appear and fade, producing amazing flower stems, or pegs. These small, cold structures extend down the stem, growing downwards. Upon arrival, the stem pushes the ovary (pistil) of the flower to a depth of 2 to 3 cm into the soil. This is where the ovary matures, growing inside the pod with the peanuts (seeds) inside.

But to achieve this feat, certain peanut water requirements must be met. So how much water does a peanut plant need and when? Read on to find out more.

When to water a peanut plant

Water your peanut plant when the soil seems to start to dry out. You may need to water up to two to four times a week, depending on local weather conditions and the amount of rainfall.

Consider other garden vegetables in response to the question, «How much water does a peanut plant need? The water requirements of peanuts are similar to those of the most common garden varieties. These plants generally need about one inch of water, including rain and watering on their behalf, each week during their particular growing season.

Peanut plants are normally watered for most of the growing season. However, the growth, flowering and development of the peanut pod is dependent on abundant moisture. Growing conditions that are too dry during these critical periods will greatly reduce the size of your crop and endanger the health of your plant.

Peanut plants need a lot of water from the beginning of flowering until the pegs are completely buried in the soil. Look for your first flowers to appear 25 to 40 days after planting. From flowering to harvest, make sure your peanut does not dry out.

When the plant’s leaves begin to yellow in the fall, it is time to stop watering completely. Yellowing leaves are a sign that all your work will soon pay off. Her peanut crop is now 10 to 14 days old.

Watering peanut plants

The amateur gardener’s best friend is a perforated plastic «soaking» hose. The advantage of drip irrigation is that the water is placed at the base of the plants, where it is needed, and not in the middle of the garden. Drip irrigation reduces water consumption by at least half, allows you to water large areas of your garden at the same time and is ideal for watering peanut plants.

You’ll also like being able to get away from the irrigation task to do other tasks simultaneously. And perhaps most beneficial to your peanut plant itself, drip irrigation keeps water in the root zone rather than on the leaves. Damp foliage allows for mould invasion.

The dip hose is very simple and easy to use for watering peanuts. Simply place it next to your plants, with the holes facing up. Turn on the water source and adjust it so that the holes allow the water to flow slowly to your plants and the soil absorbs the water completely. You can increase the volume a little and check it several times, as long as the water does not run off. Check frequently and turn off the water source when it begins to leak.