Crispy Snack Hog Peanut Seeds

Excellent Nitrogen Fixing Plant For the Shade of Other Trees and Shrubs

This is a selected hog peanut variety known for its delicious tubers, robust growth and higher tuber and seed yields. This is considered the shade form of the hog peanut although it can easily grow in full sun. It is extremely productive and could be the beginning of a high nitrogen crop that has a strong edible component to it.   Compared to others we have grown, we think 'Crispy Snack' is more productive with slightly larger tubers. The bean sized tubers are produced on small rhizome type plants grow close to the ground and self root as they go along. They will produce a flower if enough light is available and then a small bean in a pod that twists open and ejects the seeds. The underground peanut like beans are high in protein and are hard to find in the soil due to their sticky outer covering. As a result I have resulted to growing them in raised beds designed to protect them from rodents and make it easier to find in a poly bag once established. I have also found growing them on a landscape fabric works well and will allow the plants to flourish despite low amounts of soil over the top of them.  Once established this plant grows prolifically in many locations from pure shade to pure sun.  Only a few tubers are needed and once established it will spread given the right growing conditions especially soil that has little vegetative cover. It is a very good secondary crop or nitrogen fixing crop  for tree crop and orchards that want a nitrogen fixing legume helping the trees increase production of fruits and nuts. The plants need open areas with relatively infertile soil to thrive. 

How To Germinate the Seeds and How to Improve Yields

Lightly sand the seeds to help break down the seed to allow water to penetrate the seeds easily. Put in a lightly moist media for 30 days in a refrigerator which will help unify sprouting. Or do the sprout method often done with hard to germinate annuals which is:  put them in a moist paper towel changing every few days to prevent mold.  As they sprout pluck out the sprouted ones and plant barely covering the surface of the seeds. The seeds are slow to germinate in the wild and it is thought that both dormancy and a tough seed coat delays germination over the course of two years. You can avoid this by using the scarification methods between two sponge sanding block or flat medium grit sand paper to help speed the process along. Germination is quick like beans. 

On increasing yields: No one knows why this happens but apparently there are certain species of bacteria that fix themselves to the hog peanut plants which makes them grow clusters of the peanuts together in bunches. I would attempt a mix of nitrogen fixing bacteria used for other beans, peas or other similar genus to recreate this clustering and higher yielding effect. Hog peanuts produce a significant amount of aerial beans per plant and this appears to not be a problem yield wise compared to the tubers. But the bacteria would likely increase that too. Use a 5 ft. trellis with one inch openings.