Peanut Question

[Arriga]

I decided to try something new this year. Peanuts! The plants are now 3 inches tall. After doing some investigating, I learned that runners come drop down and this is where the nuts are made. My problem is that of course I amended the garden with manure, humus and compost but the soil is still a little hard on the top. Will the runners be able to penetrate the soil? If not, what can I do to fix this problem? Thanks in advance.

[barrelslime]

What I do is, the row I'm planting in I let the triller bury as deep as it will go. The soil will stay loose enough for the growing season. Second, I till sand into the planting row to help keep the soil loose. It has worked for me in the past, although I am not currently planting and nuts.

[soil]

You need to be mulching this will prevent the soil from crusting. Just don't use any mulch with big pieces. An inch of straw works good.

[Arriga]

I am growing Virginia giants too. Thanks I will give the mulch a shot

[SOB]

I hope you don't mind me changing the subject a little bit but this is also my first time trying to grow peanuts. I have noticed that my plants tend to stay close to the ground, meaning they seem to be bushing out more than they are growing tall. Is this typical?

[Arriga]

My first time too. I am not sure.

[bg]

I grew some of the of those, my plant stayed about 1 to 1 1/2 ft tall and then drooped over and spread out over about 2-3 feet. It grew a few runners that went into the ground, and some didn't make it.

By the time the peanuts were ready, the plant just died (not sure if that's normal), and I just pulled it. Underneath were a lot more peanuts, not in runners at all but the roots.

I apparently missed a few, since I got a new plant that's about 1 1/2 to 2 ft tall ;3