Plant and go
Botanical Name: Lens culinaris
| Depth: ½" | Spacing: 13-14" | Row: 18-24" | Temp: 45-85F |
| Germ: 7-12 days | Sun: Full/ 6-8 hrs | pH: 6.0-6.5 | Harvest: 80-110 days |
| Soil: well drained | Container: 6x12 | Fertilizer: 5-10-10 | Fert Freq: 3-4 wks |
Details
Find a spot in your garden or grab a container minimum of 3 gallons for one plant and prepare the soil. Start by adding and mixing in Fertilizer or compost, make sure your soil is loose and well drained. Find a spot that gets plenty of sun for 6-8 hours, use a grow light if starting indoors. You can direct sow when the soil temperature is above 40F and no signs of frost. Sow 1 inch deep and a few inches apart, rows 18-24 inches apart. Germination can take 8-10 days and the process can be sped up by soaking seeds in water for 8-24 hours to sprout. Lentils are somewhat drought tolerant. They prefer temperatures between 60-85F, can tolerate lower temperatures. Lentils are sensitive to higher temperatures, water regularly 1-2 inches per week. Avoid over watering, this can cause root rot. Lentils are very adaptable to most soil conditions. Once seedlings have a set of true leaves and are 3 inches tall you can thin them out. The goal is to have a space distance of 12-14 inches. Start by thinning to 4-5 inches picking the strongest seedlings to keep. Once established there isn’t much to do except water and Fertilize every few weeks with 5-10-10 formula.
Harvest
80-110 days after sowing your plants should be ready to start the harvest process. pods ripen from the bottom up. The pods begin to harden and turn brown when they are close to ready. Slowly stop watering your crop to encourage the pods to dry up. Once the bottom branches are brown pull up the plant and leave in
a week or so in a sunny spot , or in a place indoors with good circulation. Once dried out you can remove the seeds by pulling, shaking or putting them in a plastic bag and crush the whole plant. Continue to separate then clean, dry and store the seeds.
a week or so in a sunny spot , or in a place indoors with good circulation. Once dried out you can remove the seeds by pulling, shaking or putting them in a plastic bag and crush the whole plant. Continue to separate then clean, dry and store the seeds. Tip
Consider using a trellis for your plants.
Use the winnow method to clean seeds after removing them from the plant.
Fun fact
Folks in Montevideo, Uruguay cooked the world’s largest lentils stew. They used 5200 pounds of seeds, estimated to yield 10,000 portions.
Conclusion
Lentils are a hardy plant with a quick growth rate. They have a shallow root system that likes to stay moist, but not flooded. Lentils can even improve soil through nitrogen fixation. But for everyday gardening or experimenting a large container or backyard garden is perfect. All you need is a trellis, good drainage and patience.