Hannan Pop Bean chickpeas

[Silverleaf]

Markfield Rover sent me a handful of these earlier this year but I've only just managed to get them sown yesterday, indoors in newspaper pots. Apparently they were bred by Carol Deppe, according to my very brief research, and they pop when you heat them. Not puffy like popcorn, they don't increase in size much, but it's much easier than soaking and boiling as you'd normally do. I once experimentally popped some kala chana dried chickpeas I bought from an Asian food shop and the ones that actually did pop tasted pretty good with a bit of oil and salt.

Now I have to admit, I'm nosy when it comes to germinating legume seeds. I can't usually help myself gently digging up a couple early on and seeing if there are signs of roots yet (it's immediately obvious if the seed has a longer root that could get damaged, and I leave those alone).

These guys were sown less than 24 hours ago, and the couple I dug up clearly have a tiny root already!

I'm really hoping they grow well. I love chickpeas!

[jayb]

Wow, that's fast! They sound like they could be a real winner
I've got a green chickpea to try this year, quite small sized seeds but meant to do well in cooler climes. Not so fun as popping ones though, hope they do well for you.

[Silverleaf]

Oh green chickpeas sound really interesting, I wonder if they taste different? The brown/black kala chana types definitely taste different to the bigger cream ones, with a different texture. I buy both in tins and use them differently too. I eat a lot of chickpeas, they are so versatile and cheap, good for bulking things out and a good protein source since we don't eat much meat.

I actually sowed some of the dried kala channa chickpeas a few years ago and got some germination. They didn't produce much but they were pretty plants, and they were really good eaten fresh.

[Galina]

Here are mine, I sowed quite a bit earlier, testing the theory that they are a bit frost hardy. They are now developing more leaves, but after planting out they also got a few yellow leaves. We'll see how they cope.

[Silverleaf]

They look really nice Galina. I'm sure yours will do much better than mine with that head start.

[Galina]

If they can cope with the cold start. The plants look ok, but might have been stressed irreversibly and therefore produce little. We will see and compare. Last year (much later start) production wasn't all that heavy. It's an experiment rather than a crop we rely on, but if they should yield well, we will happily adjust our meal plans

[jayb]

I think the green ones I have are going to be a bit of a fiddle if they only have a couple of seeds per pod. I hadn't realised the taste could be so different.
Do you think it is too late to start them now?

[Galina]

They all only have one or two, max 3 seeds per pod. For some reason (I really can't recall now why - it seems strange) Carol Deppe suggests saving seeds from those with 2 in the pod only. From memory it was RealSeeds who recommended starting early to maximise harvest volumes. They were however talking about the normal, yellow type chick peas. I know far too little to recommend one way or the other. Certainly last year I got enough to save seeds. I had hoped to add them to the seed circle, but it wasn't enough for that. And I have yet to taste them. Green ones sound very different. Maybe a season extension would help, or planting in the polytunnel?

[Silverleaf]

I don't know for sure but I'd suspect that the smaller darker types would produce better here than the large cream ones.

[jayb]

That's a shame I was hoping because the seeds are small they might have more in the pod! Wishful thinking
I'll sow some and see then, but not expect them to do much.

I don't know for sure but I'd suspect that the smaller darker types would produce better here than the large cream ones.

Interesting and I like your theory, it would be good if these love it here. What colour seeds are Hannan pop bean?

I think I remember reading somewhere they can be autumn sown?

[Galina]

The plants are purple flowered and the seeds are black/brown.

[jayb]

Thanks, I've only really come across the beige/fawny types before, good finding out there is so much diversity.

[Galina]

The Hannan Popbeans are flowering, not bad for May

[jayb]

Well done and don't they look lovely with the white broadies

[Galina]

Thank you. Yes, as usual, I planted too close, but they look ok.

[Silverleaf]

Nice! Mine look healthy plants but of course they are way behind yours.

[Galina]

Did you plant them in straw bales or in pots or are they indoors?

[Silverleaf]

They're in a raised bed with the the other legumes (well I don't have beans in there yet, but you get the idea). I guessed and gave them 15cm of space - they are probably about 15cm tall now, no signs of flowers yet.

[Silverleaf]

I see flower buds.

[Galina]

They are catching up a treat

[Silverleaf]

I hope so!

[Galina]

How are yours doing now? Here flowers and pods

[Silverleaf]

I don't think it'll be long before I have flowers.