The Environment to Grow Peanuts

U.S. Peanut Growing Locations

• Peanut growing is quite common in the U.S. In fact, the United States is only surpassed in peanut production by two countries: China and India. In the United States, peanut growing is predominantly centered in southern states, including New Mexico, South Carolina and Virginia. This is due to the fact that peanuts, like many other crops, grow well in warmer climates.

Soil Preferences

• The optimum soil for peanut growth consists predominantly of sand. Because peanut plants require nutrients to grow, this sand must also contain organic matter, such as compost. Growers often plant their peanut plants in sandier parts of the growing regions as many other plants do not thrive in sandy soil, making these plots ideal for sand-loving peanuts. To ensure that the peanut plant has adequate nutrients, farmers often fortify these soils with manure or other organic matter.

Temperature Requirements

• Peanuts generally grow best in warmer areas as they can be damaged by frost; however, any location that has a growing season of at least 130 days can serve as home for a peanut plant. In locations that suffer from late-spring frosts, farmers should start their peanut plants indoors, moving them outdoors only after all threat of frost has passed.

Moisture Needs

• Peanuts require moist soil for survival. Because this soil is also sandy, peanut growers typically need to water their peanut crops often as sandy soil does not hold onto moisture as well as clay-based soils do. If peanut plants do not receive adequate water, they will not thrive, producing peanuts that are smaller than average or lacking the rich oils characteristic of a peanut.