Plate of curried garbanzo beans topped with Biryani Rice Cake and garnished with basil leaves and flowers

How To Grow Bean Seeds (Garbanzo Beans)

Updated on Mar 15, 2024
By Baillie Blankenship

Delicious as well as nutritious, these popular beans, also known as chickpeas (and ceci in Italian), are a staple in many cuisines around the world. Can be grown in the ground but they also do well in a pot.


HISTORY

(Cicer arietinum). Garbanzo bean plants can be traced back thousands of years to the Middle East, where they were first domesticated. Ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans revered them for their nutritional value and versatility in cooking. Garbanzo beans spread along trade routes, reaching India, Africa, and eventually the Mediterranean region. They became a staple in many cuisines, including Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean. Today, garbanzo beans are globally cultivated and continue to be cherished for their rich protein content, dietary fiber, and adaptability in various dishes.

USES

  • Can be eaten fresh, roasted, used to make hummus, falafel, and used in soups and stews.
bowl of chickpea stew on a plate with two colorful rice paper wrapped spring rollsbowl of chickpea stew on a plate with two colorful rice paper wrapped spring rolls

  • Choose a location in full sun with rich, well-drained soil.
  • May also be grown in a pot,
  • If soil quality is poor, amend it with organic compost
  • Direct sow beans 1” deep 2-4 weeks before the last spring frost.
  • Space plants 6" apart.
  • Sprouts in 7-14 days.
small pile of sprouted pale tan garbanzo beans on a white marble backgroundsmall pile of sprouted pale tan garbanzo beans on a white marble background

  • When plants become established, fertilize bi-weekly with a balanced fertilizer.
  • Water regularly but avoid over-watering.
  • Plants mature in about 100 days.
  • If you want to eat the beans fresh, harvest them while they are still small and green.
  • To harvest dried beans, allow the plant to wilt and turn brown. Pull the entire plant and dry it in a warm well-ventilated area until the pods begin to split open.
  • Harvest beans inside pods. Rinse and soak overnight when ready to use.
Close shot of bright green young garbanzo bean pods on the vine with one pod open to show two bright green irregular-shaped beans inside it.Close shot of bright green young garbanzo bean pods on the vine with one pod open to show two bright green irregular-shaped beans inside it.

  • Allow the plant to wilt and turn brown.
  • Pull the entire plant and dry it in a warm well-ventilated area until the pods begin to split open.
  • Harvest dried seeds and store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place until you are ready to plant.
Pile of dried black garbanzo beans arranged in an irregular square on a marble surfacePile of dried black garbanzo beans arranged in an irregular square on a marble surface