Spanish peanuts are a breed of peanut. They are smaller and rounder than most peanuts and have reddish skin. Spanish peanuts can be grown with relative ease. Most Spanish peanuts are grown in South America and the Southern United States, but they will flourish in any warm climate in sandy, well-drained soil. They also do well in clay-type soils, but the clay will stain their shells, because peanut fruit grows underground. Stained shells may be unattractive, but this does not affect the flavor of the peanut. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
Preparing the Soil & Planting
1. Spanish peanuts should be planted after the soil temperature has risen above 60 degrees. Wait until three weeks after the last frost to plant.
2. Turn the soil where you will plant the Spanish peanuts. Make sure it is free of weeds, clumps and stones.
3. Prepare the soil where you will plant the Spanish peanuts with manure. Work it into the soil to a depth of several inches.
4. Soak the Spanish peanut seeds in water overnight. This will help them germinate.
5. Spanish be planted in rows that are 2 1/2 to 3 feet apart. Within the rows, plant the seeds 1 1/2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart.
Cultivation
6. A week after you plant, drench the Spanish peanuts with diluted fish emulsion fertilizer. Be careful not to over-fertilize, because this will give the peanuts fertilizer burn.
7. Water the Spanish heavily once per week, drenching them with a garden hose.
8. Keep the soil around the well-turned and free of weeds.
9. Your Spanish peanut plant will flower after 30 to 40 days. After this, the stalks of the bush will penetrate the soil over a period of 10 days, after which peanuts will begin to develop underground on the stalks. When weeding, take care not to disturb the stalks.
10. To prevent weeds after the peanut fruits have begun to develop, you may choose to mulch. Place salt hay mulch in a 1 to 2 inch layer around the peanut plants.
Harvesting & Eating
11. Although timing may vary, your Spanish peanuts should be ready to harvest after 110 days. To see if a plant is ready, gently pull it up, using a digging fork to separate it from the soil. Shell the peanuts. If most of them have reddish skins, then the peanuts are mature.
12. Gently pull up your plants. Pile them in a sunny area and allow them to dry for a week.
13. Go through the nuts and separate out the ones with green shells, as these are unripe. Roughly a quarter of your Spanish peanuts will be unripe, but these can be used to make boiled peanuts.
14. Spread the mature Spanish peanuts out in a single layer in a cool, dry place. Let them dry for an additional two weeks.
15. Cured Spanish peanuts may be enjoyed raw, roasted or made into peanut butter.
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