How to Put Nitrogen Into the Soil With Peanuts

Peanuts are tropical plants that originated in South America, and bear surface foliage with root crops. Although they're served as nuts, peanuts are actually closely related to legumes like peas and beans, and require similarly long, frost-free seasons of 110 to 165 days. The plants prefer slightly alkaline soil and don't tolerate nitrogen-heavy fertilizer, but do require some nitrogen for initial growth. Amend soil carefully before planting to provide nitrogen without harming the plants.

Garden fork
Organic compost
Sand
Fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Plant peanuts in spring when temperatures rise to 65 degrees F, and only if your area offers at least 110 days of summer. These plants fail in frost.
- 2
  Choose sites with full sunshine and quick drainage for the peanuts. The plants cannot thrive with shade or standing water, and do best with adequate air movement in their planting site.
- 3
  Amend the soil several days before planting for looseness and nutrition. Turn two inches of sand and two inches of organic compost into the top five inches of soil. The amendments add rich nutrition for growth but won't overwhelm the seeds with acidic nitrogen. Turn 16-16-16 or 20-0-0 fertilizer into the soil, then water heavily to dissolve the nitrogen. This application adds enough nitrogen for initial growth.
- 4
  Plant peanut seeds 1 1/2 inch deep at 18 inches in the row, with two feet between rows. Water the peanuts with two inches of water every week.
- 5
  Feed the peanuts again one month after planting, with 16-16-16 or 20-0-0 fertilizer. Turn the fertilizer into the soil at least 6 inches from each plant, and water immediately.

Growth Requirements for Peanuts

Growing Peanuts