How to Grow Pulses in Home Garden?

Many people are interested to grow their own pulses, as pulses are easy-to-cultivate. An extra advantage is that they are equally nutritious for the soil as they are for the body. Therefore, you can easily try varieties of pulses in your own garden.

Tips to Grow Pulses in Home Garden

You will get an immense pleasure to see them growing in front of your eyes. So, just go through some useful tips below that will help you grow your pulses.

Choose a Good Spot: Pulses favor pH in the range of 6.0-6.8 along with warm and well-drained soils. It is better to select a part-shade or sunny location. You can also add some sand to the soil where pulses are growing for ensuring drainage. You can try plant the vining pulses in some pots means they can be cultivated in your own courtyard.

Decide on the Intended Growth Habit: You might have noticed that some pulses develop as vines that are able to climb a framework while other pulses are associated with more orderly and bushy growth. You can use poles or some other supports for cowpea (go through the instructions to know the important guidelines) and pintos.

Select Your Preferences: Many seed companies deal in pulse seeds. You can look for their online listings for “lentils” and “dry beans”. Some of the pulses have stories and legends associated with them. Perform your search appropriately.

Plant the Seeds: Properly follow the instructions and guidelines for spacing, create holes in the respective plot, and sow one seed per hole. It will be better if you soak the seeds in water (room temperature) for the whole night to speed up the germination process.

Caution: Rabbits are fond of pulses. Therefore, ensure that emerging and tender pulses are protected from surrounding rabbits with the help of appropriate fencing.

Mind the Climate: Pulses can tolerate drought; however, moisture is also important, particularly as flowers and pods develop. You may water your plants to initiate the growth but you should also notice their behavior afterward. Wet pulse plants are prone to white mold, so refrain from handling them during moist conditions.

Harvest Time: Harvest while pods are dry and paper-like. You can withdraw the seeds from the pods in various ways.

You need to remove the shells with hands, ideally on a front porch with a glass of refreshing lemonade. Store these shells to place in the compost pile or place your garden directly because they add nitrogen along with other nutrients back into the soil.

Next, put the pods in cloth bag or pillowcase. Now, knead it by hands, so the pods can break and the pulse seeds can overflow in the bag. After that, pour the respective contents into a baking pan or a window screen with little bit edge. Separate the papery pods and their crumbs away through gentle tossing the pods and seeds into the air on a windy day or front of a fan. Refrain yourself from standing downwind. You will observe that the lightweight crumbs and pods fly away leaving the actual harvest alone.

Now, it’s time to cherish your pulse harvest.