Does anyone know anything about how to grow Peanuts?
I tried growing them this year, and I actually felt around under ground and there are peanuts!
But now I don't know what to do.
How do I know when to harvest?
How do I harvest?
I heard you need to hang up the whole plant indoors to dry out? But that is NOT an option for me. Is there anything else I can do? Do I really need to do that?
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
When the tops start to die, they are ready to dig. Pull the plant, or dig as if potatoes. Shake dirt off-let them dry in a garage, shed, etc-but be sure mice, racoons and squirrels don't have access or you won't have any left. Drying should take a week or so. Then store in a dry area, preferably in the house. You do not need the whole plant to do this. Pull the peanuts off the roots.
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applestar
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I keep trying but have yet to grow a "crop" of peanuts. So far ending up with just 1/2 dozen plants producing a handful at the end of the season -- just enough to plant as seeds next year. 
Also, it seems that if I plant too many clustered together, they are more likely to be discovered by squirrels and chipmunks. So scattering them around the garden increases their survival, but some areas are not as suited for growing them.
I think like eggplants and peppers, they do better with much warmer soil temp, so raised beds in full sun with loose, sandy good drainage have worked the best.
Typically, I wait until frost, then dig up what have grown and developed. Sometimes you need to look farther out from the plants than expected.
Also, it seems that if I plant too many clustered together, they are more likely to be discovered by squirrels and chipmunks. So scattering them around the garden increases their survival, but some areas are not as suited for growing them.
I think like eggplants and peppers, they do better with much warmer soil temp, so raised beds in full sun with loose, sandy good drainage have worked the best.
Typically, I wait until frost, then dig up what have grown and developed. Sometimes you need to look farther out from the plants than expected.
Peanuts do better with a long season 120-150 days. The peanuts bloom in about 6 weeks and pegs will form (spikes) that push into the ground where the peanuts form. If you are in the north you might want to pick a variety that is suitable for northern climates that will mature in about 100 days. I plant the peanuts on a hill and when the spike form I add more compost so they have something to dig into.
Although it is a legume, the soil in the herb garden is dismally short of nitrogen, so I have to supplement nitrogen. If you are organic than it can be fish emulsion weekly or I will use Organic lawn fertilizer, it is mostly nitrogen in divided doses.
I don't need to add phosphorus, calcium, or potassium, but that depends on what your soil analysis is like.
Peanuts like a pH around 6.5 and a fairly homogenous rich soil. Most farmers will plant peanuts as a second crop and will fertilize the first crop enough so that the peanuts can scavenge most of the nutrients except nitrogen when it is grown.
Although it is a legume, the soil in the herb garden is dismally short of nitrogen, so I have to supplement nitrogen. If you are organic than it can be fish emulsion weekly or I will use Organic lawn fertilizer, it is mostly nitrogen in divided doses.
I don't need to add phosphorus, calcium, or potassium, but that depends on what your soil analysis is like.
Peanuts like a pH around 6.5 and a fairly homogenous rich soil. Most farmers will plant peanuts as a second crop and will fertilize the first crop enough so that the peanuts can scavenge most of the nutrients except nitrogen when it is grown.