Anyone ever had success with chickpeas

Didn't know you could grow them in this country, but would love to do so. Are they commercially available anywhere and do you grow them outside?
Sorry I can't help with your question, but I will watch this thread with interest.

It sounds like they aren't being pollinated - either the temperature isn't right for the insects that can pollinate them, or maore likely there aren't the right kinds of insects around, as you say they've been flowering freely. What's the flower like? Can you put a picture up?

Oooh = I remember growing these in my youth - my brother used to use them for fishing and I nicked some and planted them. They are pretty. If I remember correctly (probably 20 odd years ago) I did get some peas developing in the pods, but I never got a crop. Now I want to grow them again!

We experimented with chickpeas this year (along with many other things!!) we grew them from shop brought chick peas and had quite a few pods and have harvested some chickpeas, however they were green?? and haven't dried out well (just gone mouldy) Was a good experiment but won't be trying it again, will have to fill the garden to get enough for some houmous!! Ditto the lentils we tried and they are soooo fiddly to pod!!

Veggieginger
That's one thing about growing your own, you become very aware of how much land is needed to feed each one of us.
Sue

I'm going to have a go at Chick Peas this year, even though they take up a lot of room for a small crop (2 peas per pod I think).

I am sowing normal dried Chick Peas that you buy in the supermarket (plus some brown ones from my local Indian foodstore).

It requires a hot sunny position, tolerating drought once established. Prefers a light well-drained fertile soil, pH in the range 5.5 to 8.6.
Plants are about as hardy as broad beans. This suggests that plants can be autumn sown. There are many named varieties, some of which should be suitable for cultivation in Britain.

Plants only succeed outdoors in Britain in hot summers - they need 4-6 months of good warm weather. They often fail in mild moist maritime climates because the seedpods are hairy and this holds moisture, which rots the pod before it ripens.

Chick peas can germinate at lower temperatures than broad beans. Could an early spring or even autumn sowing outdoors be successful?

Cultivars
'Brown Seeded' A small-seeded form, better suited to the home gardener than commercial cultivation. Especially useful in short-season dry areas, it does not do well in coastal fog-belt areas.

'Green Seeded' A small-seeded form, better suited to the home gardener than commercial cultivation. This is the best cultivar for sprouting.

'Kabuli Black' A very hardy and vigorous cultivar, maturing in 95 days from seed. The medium-sized seed is solid black and 2 seeds are produced per pod. Somewhat tolerant of cold soils and drought resistant.

'Whitev' A late cultivar with large white seeds. Recommended for growing in high rainfall areas.

I've bumped this thread for Jilly.

Thank you Two Sheds

Which variety did you grow? How successful was your crop?

I only planted them in January.

Is it too late to start some off now?

Did you buy the seed or use dried shop bought?

Sorry to ask so many questions Two Sheds

Hi Jilly...from above.

Whoops missed that bit in my eagerness to read to post, thank you for pointing it out to me

I've just harvested my first cupful of (black) chickpeas ... not a huge crop, but pleasing all the same.

btw, very easy to grow, but a faff to harvest (only 2 peas per pod, max)

bumped for Vince.

My chick peas are 7" high and quite delicate looking. They aren't robust plants like runners or Frenchies. The slugs also REALLY like them (the foliage is soft). I've lost a few, but have another tray ready to plant out if the sun decides to come out for more than 4 hrs at once