Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
LENTIL
Lens culinaris
Lentils are among the original cultivated plants of the Old World. This protein-rich plant with a short
growing season is ideal for the sandy, relatively infertile soils of arid environments. Lentils love lime-
rich soils yet do less well on soils with added lime. They yield well in dry summers and hardly pro-
duce at all in wet summers. There are two subgroups of lentils: the large-seeded (Macrosperma) and
the small-seeded (Microsperma), though there is no exact dividing line between the two.
Lentils
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
• 10 to 15 healthy plants
• relatively infertile soil
• dry weather in summer
POLLINATION NOTES
Lentils are selfers with a potential for out-crossing. They are often treated
purely as selfers in the literature, but cross-pollination has been observed many times at Arche Noah.
Bernd Horneburg, who led a three-year comprehensive study of lentils, reported cross-pollination rates
of 0.5-5%. Honeybees and bumblebees often visit lentil flowers.
GROWING FOR SEED
Lentils are sown in mid to late spring. Plant in 6-8 in. (15-20 cm) rows, or
broadcast. Lentils can be grown successfully only in sandy soils with good drainage. In fertile garden
soil, they are highly susceptible to fungal diseases. Dry weather is required when the seeds are ripen-
ing.
For large-scale cultivation, we highly recommend a polyculture with cereal grains, especially barley
and oats. The lentils then use the stalks of grain to climb and are less likely to lodge, which helps them
ripen better and set fewer, though larger, seeds. Yet another advantage: in drier years the lentils yield
higher, whereas in wetter years the grain yields higher. Select grains that will ripen at the same time as
the lentils. Bernd Horneburg (2003) has published a topic (in German) about growing lentils in poly-
cultures and the history of lentil cultivation.
HARVEST
Pull entire dry plants from the ground and lay on a bed sheet to finish drying. Thresh and
clean seed with a sieve.
SELECTION CHARACTERISTICS
Remove seeds that are not true-to-type. Other selection criteria:
