Legumes
Peanut
A low annual legume whose flower stalks peg into the soil and form pods underground.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Sep-Nov
Core months: September, October, November
Temperate
Sow · Aug-Dec
Core months: August, September, October, November, December
Subtropical
Sow · Jan,Aug-Dec
Core months: January, August, September, October, November, December
Tropical
Sow · Mar-May
Core months: March, April, May
Arid
Sow · Sep-Dec
Core months: September, October, November, December
Getting started
Sow fresh unsalted peanut seed in the recorded window into warm, loose soil. Direct sowing avoids root disturbance; seedlings may be transplanted very young and carefully.
The right conditions
Choose full sun and deep, loose, freely draining soil so pegs can enter and pods can expand. Protect from frost and prolonged waterlogging.
As it grows
Keep moisture even through flowering and pegging, weed shallowly to avoid damaging pegs, and avoid compacting the soil around the plant.
Ready to harvest
Lift the whole plant when foliage yellows and the pods are well filled. Shake off soil and cure pods in a dry, airy place before storage or roasting.
Important cautions
Peanuts are a major food allergen. Do not serve or share the harvest without considering allergy risk, and discard mouldy or poorly dried pods.
Plant guidance: P11b Wave 2 propagation, safety and plant-specific guide audit. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.