Garbanzo beans are also called chickpeas, or Cicer arietinum if you are into botany. They are tasty members of the bean family and are generally trouble free to grow, appreciate dry desert air, and can be grown anywhere if you have 100 frost free days. Here are the charts for Frost Free Days for a number of places across the Southwest. These are best grown in the cooler months, so I consider them a cool season vegetable.

Grow What You Like to Eat

I always tell you to grow what you like to eat. What if you are not sure you like to eat garbanzo?!

You may have already eaten these unique legumes – in humus, for example. They are also featured in many Indian dishes. In India, garbanzo are also ground into flour and cooked into flat breads, or used to thicken sauces. A number of Middle Eastern and African dishes also feature garbanzos.

You don’t need to wait until they are old and dry. Garbanzos make a dandy green vegetable. Picked and steamed green (like edemame) they are delightful!

Other Reasons to Grow Garbanzo

Garbonzos are Legumes, in the Leguminosae (Fabaceae) or bean family. Like all Legumes, they help improve the soils they are grown in. Garbanzo plants form a tidy little bush, so you don’t have to mess with a trellis. Chickpeas are particularly important for diabetics due to their low glycemic index and high digestible fiber content.

Legume Allergies?

Legumes are one of the more allergenic plants that humans eat. After peanuts, the two most common bean allergies are soy and kidney beans. That said, garbanzos are very distant relative to any of those beans. They are in the same family, but more like a 12 th cousin. Many people who can’t eat peanuts, soy, or kidney beans can eat garbanzos. (Disclaimer!) Just reporting facts – not telling you to go snarf down tons of hummus.

But all of this nutrition “stuff” is more a topic for Savor the Southwest. Let’s focus on growing garbanzos!

Garbanzo Growing Guide

Garbanzo beans are a cool season annual plant, native to the high mountain plateaus of eastern Turkey.    In the wild, they emerge with the winter rains off the Mediterranean, grow, flower, set beans, and then die, all within roughly 100 days. These winter rains are the only rains that the region gets, so a protein rich crop like garbanzo beans are critical to survival for the peoples of these remote regions.

Air

Since garbanzos are a cool season annual, for the Low Desert you can start them in October and up to November 15 – if – IF – you can protect them from frost.  If you live in an area that does get frost, it is better to plant them right around last frost day.

Earth

The plants do best in well-drained soil with a pH 6.5 to 7.2, that means slightly acidic, to neutral, to mildly alkaline. Note that is “best.” I have grown them in pure desert soil under a palo verde tree. I didn’t get the best yield, but they grew and produced beans to eat.

Soils also need to be above 60F for the beans to germinate. In cooler areas this may mean adding some dark soil, like potting soil, over the planted bean seeds to help warn the bed and get them going.

Fire

At least 6 hours of sunlight a day. This means full sun in winter. If you plant them in spring then some afternoon shade is good.

Water

Garbanzos are fairly drought resistant when grown.    When plants are young seedlings, check the soil frequently (daily) and water when the soil is dry more than one inch deep.    In the wild, mature plants can have roots 2 feet deep, so encourage yours to do the same with deep, infrequent watering.

Human Care

Pre-soaking of seed is acceptable, but not needed. Plant the seed 1″ to 2″ apart, thin to 6” apart. If you wish, sow with the eye of the bean facing downward (but it’s not a requirement). Garbanzo plants are mostly 20” tall.    In rows, allow 18” to 24” between rows, so they can form a nicely rounded bush.

Seeds remain viable for at least 5 years.

Garbanzo Companions

Beans can be mutually beneficial with corn, strawberries, and cucumber. Due to their need to form a relationship with soil bacteria, avoid planting beans near onion family members (onion, garlic, shallots), as well as fennel, marigolds, or any other plants with bacteria killing compounds in the roots.

Fertilizer   

Once established, garbanzo DO NOT require fertilizing and will generate their own nitrogen. However, if the leaves of many of your young plants are yellow or pale, this  indicates an issue with nitrogen absorption or uptake. You can apply a one quarter strength application of fertilizer – once – and that should help them.   If just a single plant is stressed, remove it, it may have a virus or other underlying problem.

Garbanzo may need extra phosphorous. As a reminder, the middle number on the fertilizer bag is phosphorous, and phosphorous is for flowers and fruits. You are growing garbanzos so they will produce flowers and fruits after all – though unless you are a botanist it may be hard to think of a bean as a “fruit.” Well okay, I stand corrected. Some of you are remembering that little ditty about “Beans, beans, the magical fruit,,,” I knew someone would go there.

A “flowering fertilizer” like you would use for rose or citrus is okay for garbanzo at half strength. If you can find it, rock phosphate will help. The product called “potash” is not phosphate, it is potassium (the third number on the fertilizer bag – good for general health).

Grow for Others

I wrote a garbanzo growing guide back in 2018 for the Pima County Seed Library (in Arizona). It is very specific for the Pima County area, and I do recommend stopping in the library for a copy if you are in the region.

Like most Seed Library programs, the idea is that your check out a package of seeds, grow the plants, then return seeds of your plants for the next batch of people to check out. Why are seed libraries a great idea? Because the best thing to grow in an area is whatever grows well in that area. If you have grown an arugula that has survived well in the unique climate of Las Vegas – It has the best genes to grow in that area – as opposed to an arugula growing in Bangor, Maine. (Note. Seed libraries are different than seed banks – which I shall have to cover at some point.)

Gabanzo Harvest

For eating when the beans are green, it’s time to harvest once pods start forming―while pods are still tender. Gently feel the pod to determine that the beans inside are about the size of a garden pea. That is the time to snip the pods of the plant with sharp shears.

To harvest a garbanzo for dry beans, wait until the pods start turning brown and bulging and then pick. You want to allow the pods to begin to dry on the plant. Some of the way – but not all of the way, otherwise they break open and you lose the beans. You can also pull up the entire plant and dry it on a bed sheet or tarp. Thresh the pods and collect the beans. Seal the garbanzo away from insect pests (canning jars work well). It is best to store all beans in a cool, dark area. Use the beans within the year for best nutrition and flavor.

Good Luck! and you can watch this website for more information on individual crops, or sign up for my free Substack newsletter.

Thanks for reading – Jacqueline

More Vegetable Garden Help

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