How come no one grows nor sells peanut seeds?

[secuono]

How come no one here posts about growing peanuts? I'm guessing seeds are just the actual peanut, but are there really no other seeds? Is that why no stores sell peanut seeds? I read there are many varieties, so why don't garden seed stores sell seeds for them??

 

[so lucky]

I was told long ago that you have to plant the raw shelled seed with the skin still intact. I don't know for sure. If true, it would maybe be difficult to keep the skin unharmed before planting. I bet someone here from the south knows all about planting them.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

The actual peanuts are the seeds that you plant, and yes you do have to keep the skins intact. Peanut seeds are very finicky about how they're stored. Even when they are stored with the humidity and all of that just right, they usually won't last longer than a year.

I haven't really grown them before but plan on it when I can get a root cellar or something to keep next years' peanut seeds. Southern Exposure offers plenty of peanut varieties if your looking for them. The Valencia types do good for northerners.

http://www.southernexposure.com/vegetables-peanuts-c-3_41.html

 

[Hal]

I grow them here in Australia, my grandparents used to grow them commercially up north in Queensland. Most people don't bother growing them as they can buy cheap peanuts from a store not realizing that there are many types with different flavours and uses.
As the SeedObsesser has stated you can find them online from mail order places.
I find if I save my own seed it is best to save it and replant it soon as the season starts and plant fresh saved seed every year.
Peanuts prefer a warm climate but once again depends on the type chosen as some can be grown in cooler areas that people would consider possible with great success.
Please remember immature peanuts are poisonous, especially to children. I have heard some horror stories from my mother and grandmother that children living near them died from sneaking into fields and eating them while immature.
If you have any questions let me know.

 

[Smart Red]

I have grown them in the past. Just a few for my own children to see how they grew and I bought one plant for my youngest grands that was grown as a house plant (until someone forgot to water it). With the rising cost of peanut products, it might be a good idea to have some again, but to harvest enough would mean a bigger garden -- probably in soil rather than raised beds -- elsewhere on the property. I got mine from Henry Fields way back in the 1980's.

 

[digitS']

You are so ahead of me, SeedO!!

I read the 1st post, thought "Southern Exposure Seed" and you've already posted a link!

Well, I once grew some peanuts. Actually had a few on each plant but that was it - a few.

I'll go on and say something else, have I ever not?

There seems to be a serious lack of seed companies in the South. Besides Southern Exposure, I know of a couple (checked Willhite Seed but no peanuts ). I think it may be warm climate diseases and that is why so many seed companies are right along the Canadian/US border.

Steve

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i've grown them before and they were an interesting experiment. however, you NEED to roast them after harvest or they could make you sick. you cannot use ones you've bought from the store since they will be roasted. i'm sure i got the Early Spanish since those take less days than the Virginia Giant/Jumbo.

i know i got my seeds from either Park or Gurney's over 15 years ago. i haven't grown them since however i have seen them sold in some catalogs. Park seems to be sold out of the Virginia Giant at the moment, but has one called Sugg. Henry Field's, Gurney's, Burpee's also lists them on their site. Reimer lists them but says they're out of stock. Sand Hill Preservation lists 3 types i didn't know about on their site. link in case anyone is interested http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/catalog/pea_cowpea.html

eta: there's difference between their, there, and they're! doh

 

[Ridgerunner]

I grew a few peanuts when I was in South Louisiana just for fun. I got quite a few peanuts from just a small handful of seeds. I planted them with the hulls intact. Supposedly that’s not required but it worked for me.

Peanuts are really interesting. Each flower sends a spike or stem down into the ground. A peanut grows at the end of that spike so the soil needs to be soft enough for that spike to be able to penetrate. Some mulch to keep the top of the soil from crusting real hard could help but the spike needs to be able to get through the mulch.

I got a few seeds from a garden store down there, just a small handful. They were only a few cents worth. One year they even just gave them to me I had so few. I have seen them in the garden store up here but haven’t grown any yet.

 

[897tgigvib]

I bought a packet of Peanut seeds from Burpee when I was a little kid. One plant grew and I got 2 or 3 small pods that were pushed in the ground.

Yea, I hear tell there are lots of other varieties besides the spanish variety.

 

[Nyboy]

When I was a kid, Woolworths (a store) sold peanut kits. One peanut seed and smalll lidded plastic container and some cotton. You would soak the cottton put seed on top, then seal container, in a few days seeed would sprout.