The small protein suppliers can easily be planted in the garden. We reveal what you should consider when growing lentils.
Lentils (Lens culinaris) are actually every gardener's dream. They taste good, are easy to grow and improve the soil. So there are enough reasons for cultivation. What more could you ask for?
The lentils' reputation as poor people's food long preceded them. It is probably not justified, considering all the positive properties that the lenses bring with them. But it stems from the fact that lentils also grow where other crops struggle to thrive. Since until not so long ago large parts of the population still lived from agriculture, the lentil-growing regions were therefore the areas with poor soil and great poverty. Lentils were often a welcome rescue here.
When to plant lentils?
Plant your lentils in spring. Since the seeds can germinate from about 4 °C, sowing at the end of April or the beginning of May is optimal. In the warm Mediterranean region, the lens can even be used in autumn, as it survives temperatures down to -9 °C. In German-speaking countries, however, the cultivation period is limited to spring and summer.
Where to grow lentils?
Lentils thrive particularly well on calcareous soil. It is not for nothing that lentils were mainly cultivated in Germany on the shell limestone of the Swabian Jura, in the Eifel and in Franconia. Chalky marl, sand or gravel is suitable as soil. Too nutrient-rich soil is even more detrimental. This is exactly the strength of the lentil: it grows where other crops can no longer be grown. In terms of climate, the lens likes it sunny, warm and dry.
Planting lentils: The right approach
Before cultivating, you should first be clear about the choice of lentil variety, because there are definitely differences between the different lentils. Once you have found a suitable variety, it is time to cultivate it. Because lenses not particularlyare stable but like to lean on other plants, it can make sense to plant some cereals such as oats or barley between the lentils in larger cultivation areas. This way the lens doesn't bend over so quickly. If you sow the lentil or the mixture of lentil and grain in the spring, you should plant the lentil about four to five centimeters deep in the soil.
Once the plants have started to germinate, you can basically watch them twiddle your thumbs until late summer. The plants get along with little water and the fertilization is also very uncomplicated. Only the harvest then becomes exciting again, because lentils ripen from the bottom up. You can start harvesting as soon as the lentil kernels are hard and the pods on the lower part of the plant are turning brown. However, since the lentils are not all ripe at the same time, the harvest is quite tedious - it has to be harvested again and again. To get them out of the pods, you can grate them wrapped in a cloth, for example. A sieve is probably best for cleaning the lenses.
If you don't want to do without lentils in the coming year, then you should choose a different place in the garden for cultivation, because lentils are not self-compatible. You should wait four to six years before planting another lentil in the same spot.
Summary of planting lentils:
- Calcy soil
- Keep a distance of 4 to 6 years
- Sowing in a mixture with cereals between April and early May
- Seed depth: about 5 cm
- Harvest in late summer when the bottom pods are brown and the lentil kernels are hard
If you haven't been able to decide on the right type of lentil for your garden, you will definitely find what you are looking for in our variety article.