Description
A vastly superior strain of one of the best perennial vegetables available! What is groundnut? Also called ‘potato beans,’ this low-maintenance and trouble-free native USA plant is a legume, or bean family member. It rapidly grows lovely bean-like vines that like to climb. In late summer lovely purple, pea-like flowers appear. After growing in ground for about 18 months the tubers can be dug. Yields on this LSU selected strain are massive- we harvested over 23 LBS off an 8-ft long bed in partial shade. Leave some tubers to continue to grow for perpetual yields! The tubers reach golfball to softball size, although LSU claims basketball-sized tubers can be obtained, likely in sandy soils! You can then boil the tubers like potatoes and the starchy, Idaho-like potato like flesh is really good with some butter and salt! Much higher in protein and nutrition than potatoes. Would be a great ‘survival crop’. We’ve been very impressed with this plant and have wanted to offer it for years, so now is your chance!
CANNOT SHIP POTTED PLANTS TO TX, CA, WA, OR, NV, NM, UT, AZ.
NATURALLY GROWN TUBERS/PLANTS
Pests: None observed. Voles ate a tiny bit of the tubers, but nothing major or even impactful.
Harvest: Dig tubers in autumn after frosts up until very early Spring. Tubers are found only 1-4 inches deep, so this is very easy and fast.
Planting: Plant tubers or plants in spring to early summer. Plant ground nut in full sun in well draining soil. It needs a trellis or something to climb on (large tomato cage, fence, bamboo sticks, etc.). Plant the tubers about 2-3 inches deep and cover with mulch, water in well. Provide some trellis or chicken wire or bamboo for them to climb. We harvested about 4 lbs per foot of row. Plant about 1-2 plants per foot. Harvest in 1-2 years for full harvest.
Zones 5-8b? Possibly colder climates with decently long summers. Not a desert plant.
