How to Grow Chickpeas UK

When to Plant Chickpeas in the UK

When to plant chickpeas in the UK: in Southern England, sow early March to late June. Find your area in the table below.

Region	Sow
Southern England	early March to late June
Midlands	early March to late June
Northern England	early March to late June
Scotland	early March to late June

Southern England - detail & sources

Garden Organic: sow indoors from late February or direct outdoors from March through midsummer; a single window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the source gives no UK-region-specific gradient, though it does note northern/Scottish growers should push timing back 2-4 weeks and may need to keep the crop under cover throughout.

Midlands - detail & sources

Garden Organic: sow indoors from late February or direct outdoors from March through midsummer; a single window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the source gives no UK-region-specific gradient, though it does note northern/Scottish growers should push timing back 2-4 weeks and may need to keep the crop under cover throughout.

Northern England - detail & sources

Garden Organic: sow indoors from late February or direct outdoors from March through midsummer; a single window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the source gives no UK-region-specific gradient, though it does note northern/Scottish growers should push timing back 2-4 weeks and may need to keep the crop under cover throughout.

Scotland - detail & sources

Garden Organic: sow indoors from late February or direct outdoors from March through midsummer; a single window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the source gives no UK-region-specific gradient, though it does note northern/Scottish growers should push timing back 2-4 weeks and may need to keep the crop under cover throughout.

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Soil pH	6 - 8.5
Sunlight	6-6 hours direct sun
Optimal growing temp	15-29°C
Minimum survivable temp	-9°C
Time to harvest	100-100 days
Drainage	Moist but well-drained
Lifecycle	annual
Edible parts	seeds (pods)

At a Glance

Soil & Growing Conditions

Soil pH range

6 8.5

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing and germination	0	Sow indoors from late February or direct outdoors from March through midsummer; germination is rapid (Garden Organic).
Hardening off and planting out	1	Harden off and transplant seedlings once they have 4-5 true leaves, in May or June; self-supporting, no staking needed, in light, well-drained, sunny soil (Garden Organic).
Flowering and pod set	6	Sweetpea-like flowers appear, followed by short, inflated pods; established plants tolerate a light frost though young seedlings need protection (Garden Organic).
Pod filling and harvest	8	Harvest pods once they feel full, about 10 weeks after sowing; the plant crops little and often through summer if picked regularly (Garden Organic).

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: RHS: "fat green seedpods containing two or three peas to each pod" ready "usually...around 100 days after sowing", in spring or early summer.

Storage

Pods can be dried for long-term storage of seeds

Diseases

Chickpea Ascochyta blight

Ascochyta rabiei

NDSU chickpea disease diagnostic series; leaf and stem lesions with pycnidia, seed discoloration.

Chickpea Fusarium wilt

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris

NDSU chickpea disease diagnostic series; flowering-stage wilt symptoms.

Pests

Aphids

Aphididae (various spp.)

Flea beetles

Chrysomelidae: Alticini (various spp.)

Chickpea, a Self-Supporting Legume for Poor, Dry Soil

Feathery leaves, no staking needed

Chickpea is bushy and self-supporting, with small, feathery green leaves and sweetpea-like flowers.

Thrives on poor, dry soil

Garden Organic: especially useful for dry, poor, stony soils in areas of low rainfall.

Ready around 10 weeks after sowing

Garden Organic: harvest when pods feel full through the pod, about 10 weeks after sowing.

Cropped little and often

Garden Organic: the plant crops little and often throughout the summer when picked regularly.

4,000 years of cultivation

Garden Organic: chickpeas originate from warm Mediterranean regions and have been cultivated for about 4,000 years.

References

1. FAO EcoCrop - Cicer arietinum data sheet
2. Garden Organic - Chickpeas growing guide

   Sow indoors from late February, or outdoors from March through midsummer; germination is rapid, seedlings reach 4-5 true leaves before hardening off. Space seeds about 9cm/3in apart in a double row with 45cm/18in between rows, or 10cm/4in apart in a bed. Transplant hardened seedlings in May/June. Self-supporting, no thinning needed; light, well-drained soil, full sun, avoid shade or heavy clay. Established plants take a light frost, but new seedlings need protection from cold nights. Especially useful on dry, poor, stony soils in low-rainfall areas. Harvest when pods can be felt through as full, about 10 weeks after sowing; crops little and often through summer when picked regularly. Pests/diseases: pea root rots, mildew, Botrytis in wet weather; mice and birds target seed pods; rotate on a minimum 3-year cycle as a legume. Originates from warm Mediterranean regions, cultivated for about 4000 years.

3. GBIF - GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Cicer arietinum
4. NDSU Agriculture Extension - Chickpea Disease Diagnostic Series
5. Royal Horticultural Society - Aphids: Identification and Control

   RHS explicitly does not recommend pesticide use against aphids; recommends tolerance, manual squashing, and encouraging/purchasing natural predators (ladybirds, hoverflies, lacewings, parasitoid wasps, earwigs) as biological control, especially under glass.

6. Royal Horticultural Society - Cicer arietinum | chickpea

6 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.