Step-by-Step Growing Guide
Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) are cool-season legumes that require a long growing season — sow in early spring as soon as soil can be worked, similar to peas. They prefer light, well-drained, sandy loam soil with a pH of 6.0–8.0; they are one of the most alkaline-tolerant crops in home horticulture. Inoculate seed with chickpea-specific Rhizobium inoculant (Mesorhizobium ciceri) before planting — this is critical in soils where chickpeas have never been grown. Sow seeds 1–2 inches deep, 4–6 inches apart, in rows 18 inches apart. Do not add nitrogen fertilizer; the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis will be disrupted. Apply phosphorus-rich fertilizer at planting only. Water moderately during vegetative growth; as plants mature and pods fill, reduce watering significantly — chickpeas in their native range experience a dry period during seed fill and perform better with reduced moisture at that stage. Each plant produces 30–70 pods with 1–2 seeds each.