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How to Grow Lentils USA | Complete Growing Guide

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Lentil (Lens culinaris)

Lentil foliage with delicate tendrils — “Lens culinaris sl1” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

9 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Ready in
90–90 days
Site
soil pH 5.5–7.5
Biggest risk
Powdery mildew

In the UK, lentils are ready to harvest 90–90 days after planting.

Lentils (Lens culinaris) — annual.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

At a Glance

A lentil stem with flowers and developing pods — “Lens culinaris sl50” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Lens culinaris sl50” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Lens culinaris Lentil Powdery mildew Downy mildew (general) Aphids Pea and bean weevil DISEASES PESTS

Quick Facts

Lentil foliage with delicate tendrils — “Lens culinaris sl1” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Lens culinaris sl1” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 5.5 - 7.5
Optimal growing temp 15-29C
Time to harvest 90-90 days
Drainage Well-drained
Lifecycle annual
Edible parts seeds (pods)

Soil & Growing Conditions

A lentil plant growing in the field with flowers — “Lens culinaris sl15” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Lens culinaris sl15” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Soil pH range

5.5 7.5

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

Growth Stages

Close-up of a small lentil flower — “Lens culinaris sl48” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Lens culinaris sl48” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Sowing and germination 0 Sow under cover in late winter or direct outdoors from mid-spring, seed 3-4cm deep in rows 30cm apart, about 8-10g of seed per square metre; UK trials found heavier yields from an early April sowing (Bite Sized Gardening).
Establishment and staking 1 Sprawling habit reaching 40-50cm; stake young plants with twiggy pea sticks or canes and string if space is limited, to keep growth more upright (Bite Sized Gardening).
Flowering and pod set 6 Water during dry spells as pods develop; otherwise needs little attention (Bite Sized Gardening).
Pod ripening and harvest 8 Harvest once pods have turned brown, then dry and store the small lens-shaped seeds (Bite Sized Gardening).

Harvest & Storage

A row of small green lentil pods — “Lens culinaris sl20” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Lens culinaris sl20” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: Gardeners' World: first pods appear "approximately three months after sowing"; harvest "when the pods turn brown"; pods contain "only two to three lentils".

Storage

Dried pods/seeds stored for long-term use

Diseases

Lentil foliage with delicate tendrils — “Lens culinaris sl1” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Lens culinaris sl1” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Downy mildew (general)

Pests

Lentil foliage with delicate tendrils — “Lens culinaris sl1” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Lens culinaris sl1” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Aphididae (various spp.)

Pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and cowpea aphid (Aphis craccivora) are key pests of lentil, feeding on tender leaves/stems/pods.

Pea and bean weevil

Sitona lineatus

ICRISAT: Sitona spp. leaf weevils are major lentil pests, adults creating characteristic semicircular notches along leaf edges.

References

  1. country=UK

  2. Sow under cover in late winter or outside from mid-spring; Garden Organic trials found heavier yields from an early April sowing. Direct-sown seed 3-4cm deep in rows 30cm apart, about 8-10g of lentils per square metre. Sprawling habit, reaching 40-50cm; stake young plants with twiggy pea sticks or canes and string if space is limited, to keep growth more upright. Water during dry spells. Harvest when pods turn brown. Grown commercially on a small scale in the UK (organic and non-organic trials across several southern English counties in 2017).

  3. country=INTL

  4. country=INTL

  5. country=International; names Sitona spp. leaf weevils among lentil pests

  6. country=International; peer-reviewed

  7. country=UK

  8. country=UK

  9. country=UK

9 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do lentils take to grow?

Typically 90–90 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do lentils need?

A pH of about 5.5–7.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect lentils?

Our data links 2 diseases and 2 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Almost everything on this page resolves to your own frost dates rather than the calendar — the last spring frost moves by roughly two months between zone 3 and zone 10. The USA Garden Planner works from your zone so the timing is already decided before the season starts.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

US vegetable growing guides · Checked against USDA & Cooperative Extension guidance

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real US growing conditions, and checked against USDA hardiness and frost-date data and Cooperative Extension growing advice before publication.

Vegetable Growing Guides USA

Last verified 2026-08-30

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