How to Grow French Lentils

French lentils, also called puy lentils, grow in the volcanic enriched soils of Auvergne, France. The region's soil gives the lentils their distinct peppery flavor. The North American gardener can also grow French lentils in the home garden, albeit without the peppery flavor. Firm and green, French lentils hold together well after cooking. Lentils are an excellent food source of iron and protein. An annual plant, the lentil belongs to the legume family and requires remarkably little care to thrive. It has the ability to produce adequate levels of nitrogen, even in nutrient poor soil.

Bowel
Cloth
Aged compost
Garden trowel
Trellis
Garden compost tea

Instructions

- 1
  Plant the lentils when the outdoor temperature reaches 68 degrees Fahrenheit and there is no danger of an unexpected frost. Choose a location that offers full sun and well-draining soil.
- 2
  Soak the lentil seeds in a bowl of warm water for eight hours prior to planting. Remove the lentils from the water and lay them on a dry cloth.
- 3
  Work aged compost into the soil at a ratio of 50 percent aged compost mixed with 50 percent garden soil. The soil should feel crumbly to the touch.
- 4
  Plant the seeds 1 inch deep and space them 1 inch apart. Thin the seedlings once growth begins to 5 to 6 inches apart.
- 5
  Water lightly. Keep the plants evenly most. Cease watering the French lentil plants once the seedpods begin to dry.
- 6
  Install a trellis to help support the French lentil plants. Prop the seedlings against the trellis.
- 7
  Apply an organic compost tea to the lentil plants when they stand 5 inches tall. Re-apply the organic compost tea when the plant begins to produce flowers.
- 8
  Harvest lentils when the pods look and feel dry. Pick the pods from the plant. Avoid shelling the pods until time to use the lentils. French lentils take approximately 110 days to reach maturity after sowing.

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