The Monkey Nuts
Peanut · A little experiment in sprouting
A handful of monkey nuts from the kitchen seemed too interesting to leave in the bowl. We thought we might try a little experiment, just to see whether they would grow, and which way, if either, might work. Some have been tucked into damp perlite in a sealed bag. The others have been settled into compost, in three little pots. Both have gone into the warmth of the heated mini greenhouse, and now we wait to see whether any of them will wake. For now, it's simply a little curiosity, and the pleasure of watching to see what happens next.
Their botanical world
According to Kew's Plants of the World Online, Arachis hypogaea is an annual whose native range is as a cultigen from Bolivia. It grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.
Better known to us as the peanut, or monkey nut, it belongs to the Fabaceae family, the same botanical family as peas and beans. For our little experiment, warmth will be especially important.
Growing journal
Two Ways to Begin
Today we began a little experiment with our monkey nuts, just to see which way, if either, might work.
Some have been tucked into damp perlite in a sealed bag. The others have been settled into compost, in three little pots.
Both have been placed in the heated mini greenhouse, and now we'll wait to see which, if any, wakes up first.
And so a handful of kitchen monkey nuts has become the beginning of a rather curious little experiment.
Next time: We'll look in on the bag and the little pots, and see whether anything has begun to stir.