Chickpeas: growing in the bed, sowing, harvesting and drying

In brief: The chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is an annual legume for warm, drier sites. Sow it directly in the bed in the first half of April, about 5 cm deep, into lighter, free-draining soil. After 70–110 days the plants dry off and the pods with 1–2 seeds are harvested. Wet harms it more than drought.

Everyone knows chickpeas from hummus, but few people grow them in the garden. Yet they are handled much like peas, only they need more warmth and less water. The plant is a low, finely hairy bush with small pinnate leaves, white or purple flowers and inflated pods that usually contain one or two seeds.

In the Czech Republic chickpeas are grown mainly in South Moravia and in warm lowlands, but in a good year they ripen elsewhere too. Below you will find how to choose seed, when and how to sow, how to care for the plants and how to tell that it is time to harvest.

Kabuli or desi: which chickpea to grow

Two main types are grown. In shops it is mostly kabuli; desi you know more from Indian cooking.

According to Agromanuál, no chickpea variety is currently registered in the Czech Republic; formerly there was the variety Irenka. In the garden you therefore work with seed from abroad or with seeds from a grocery shop. These usually germinate, just as when you sprout chickpeas for sprouts, but you do not know which variety they are or whether it will ripen in our summer. So choose early seeds and preferably a kabuli type with a shorter growing season.

Where and when to sow chickpeas

Chickpeas are demanding in light and warmth, but young plants tolerate a cooler spring and light ground frosts. That is why they are not sown here after the last frosts, but early in spring, so that the plants make use of spring moisture and ripen in the dry end of summer.

1. Site: full sun, warm and airy. Shade and damp lead to rots.
2. Soil: lighter, free-draining, supplied with lime. Chickpeas do not tolerate heavy clay soil where water stands. Do not use fresh manure.
3. Rotation: do not sow them after other legumes; a spot after cereals or root vegetables is ideal. Return to the same bed no sooner than after 4 years.
4. Timing: usually in the first half of April, once the soil has dried and is at least 8–10 °C.
5. Sowing: place the seeds about 5 cm deep, 10–15 cm apart in the row, with rows 40 cm apart. Firm the soil lightly after sowing.
6. Watering after sowing: only if the soil is dry. Overwatering during germination is the most common reason seeds rot.

Raising seedlings on a windowsill is not necessary; if you want to try it, sow into peat pots 3–4 weeks before planting out and plant them out together with the pot, as legumes do not tolerate root disturbance. Which other crops are sown first in spring can be found in the article first spring sowings in the bed.

Care during growth

• Weeding: especially in the first weeks, before the plants close up. After that little weed grows among them.
• Watering: chickpeas need moisture during germination, emergence and pod formation. Otherwise they tolerate drought well; in summer water only in a longer dry spell and always at the roots.
• Feeding: do not feed with nitrogen. Like all legumes, with the help of nodule bacteria on the roots they obtain it from the air. Soil well supplied by the preceding crop is enough.
• Support: not needed; the plants are low and upright.
• Flowers: they are self-pollinating; chickpeas do not need pollinators.

In a wet year there is a risk of root and collar rots. Prevention is free-draining soil, rotation of beds and not overwatering. Aphids may transmit viruses, which show up as mosaic and yellowing of the leaves; remove affected plants. More about rotation and feeding of legumes can be found in the article legumes – peas, beans, lentils.

Beware of the acidic hairs

The leaves, stems and pods of chickpeas are covered with glandular hairs that secrete an acidic sap. It can irritate sensitive skin, which is why gloves and long sleeves are worthwhile during harvest and threshing.

Harvest and drying

Chickpeas ripen 70–110 days after sowing, here usually from the end of July into August. You can tell by the plants turning yellow, the leaves falling and the pods turning brown, with the seeds rattling inside when shaken. The pods do not burst open, so you do not have to watch the harvest to the day.

1. Pull up or cut off the whole plants in dry weather.
2. Tie them into bundles and leave them to dry fully, hung up under a roof or spread on a sheet.
3. Thresh the dry pods in a sack or shell them by hand.
4. Sort the seeds and dry them further until they are hard. Store in a dry place in a closed container.

If you want green chickpeas, harvest the pods while still green, when the seeds are full and soft. Green seeds are briefly boiled or sautéed like peas.

Chickpeas in the kitchen

Soak dry chickpeas for 8–12 hours in cold water, pour off the water and cook in fresh water for 1–2 hours until tender; home-grown chickpeas are often soft sooner than old ones from a shop. Do not eat raw dry seeds; they are hard to digest. Once cooked, you can use them in hummus, salads, curries and soups, or roast them in the oven as a crunchy snack.

From part of the crop you can grow sprouts: soaked seeds germinate in 2–3 days. How to do it is described in the article sprouts in 5 ways.

Why chickpeas do not thrive

Frequently asked questions

When should chickpeas be sown?

In the first half of April, once the soil is dry and warmed to at least 8–10 °C. Young plants tolerate light frosts, whereas sowing late risks the seeds not ripening.

Can shop-bought chickpeas be sown?

Usually yes; dry chickpeas from a shop mostly germinate. But you do not know which variety they are or whether it will ripen in our climate. Seed intended for sowing is a safer choice.

How long do chickpeas take to grow?

From sowing to harvest of dry seeds, 70–110 days depending on the variety and weather. Here they are usually harvested around the turn of July and August.

Do chickpeas need support?

No. The plants reach 30–60 cm and have firm upright stems.

How many chickpeas will I harvest?

Each pod usually holds only one or two seeds, so the yield from a small bed is modest. Count on a taste of your own chickpeas rather than a supply for the whole year.

Recommended products

We do not currently stock chickpea seed. The following are useful for raising legume seedlings:

• Peat pot 8 cm with a notch – the seedlings are planted out together with the pot, so the roots stay undisturbed.
• Jiffy 7 seed-sowing pellet, 41 mm – for sowing one seed each, if you want to raise chickpeas as seedlings.

Sources

• Growing pulses (4) – lentils and chickpeas (Agromanuál)
• Diseases of pulses: diseases of chickpea (Agromanuál)
• Cicer arietinum: cultivation and cautions (Plants For A Future)

Updated: 27 September 2026