Yield Per Bush of Chickpeas

Small Plant, Small Yield

• The chickpea bush stands as tall as 18 inches and requires at least 6 inches of space between plants. Bushes are typically planted in rows, with 18 to 24 inches of space between each row. At harvest time, inch-long seedpods develop, with one to two chickpeas, also called seeds, per pod. Per plant, you can expect approximately 0.3 ounces of seeds, meaning three bushes would yield approximately 1 ounce of chickpeas and it would take approximately 48 plants to make 1 pound. One acre of chickpea bushes would produce approximately 1,800 pounds of seeds.

Differences in Varieties

• Some chickpea varieties have larger crop yields than others. Two common varieties include the “Desi” and “Kabuli.” Of the two, “Kabuli” produces the larger seeds. Approximately 800 “Kabuli” seeds equal 1 pound, while the “Desi” bush produces smaller seeds in greater numbers. Approximately 1,500 “Desi” chickpeas are equal to the weight of a pound, but fewer “Desi” plants are needed to produce 1 pound of chickpeas. It takes approximately 90 “Desi” bushes.

Plants Per Household

• Whenever you grow your own food, you need to understand how much to plant based on the number of people you're feeding. Chickpeas are no exception. When planning your garden, make sure there are between four and eight chickpea bushes per household member. If you are avid about canning and drying chickpeas for storage, 20 to 50 plants are recommended.

Yield Factors

• A number of elements affect the exact yield of chickpeas per bush during the growing season. Chickpeas are a full-sun plant. Seed pods produce less vigorously if the bush is planted in partial or full shade. They require loose, fertile, well-draining soil. The majority of water the plant needs occurs during seedpod production. Otherwise, chickpeas are drought-tolerant plants, thanks to a long taproot. In fact, too much water or overly wet soil leads to diseases in chickpea bushes. Water your plants below as opposed to overhead, so you do not damage the seedpods. Be careful with fertilization -- soils with too much nitrogen also lessen the amount of yield per plant.