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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, https://harvesttotable.com/how_to_grow_lentil/, http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/grains-and-other-crops/crop-production/growing-lentil, https://albertapulse.com/lentil-harvesting/, https://www.grainews.ca/2016/06/22/consider-timing-when-choosing-desiccants-for-lentils/, https://www.ars.usda.gov/oc/np/lentils/lentils/, https://www.nature-and-garden.com/gardening/lentil.html, https://www.crops.org/files/story/grow-pulses.pdf, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. When halved, dried lentils resemble their split pea cousins. Lay a wide, shallow swath that will cure and dry quickly – adjust the discharge opening of the swather to as wide as possible to lay a wide swath (avoid piling the swath in bunches). More than 85% of Canada’s pulse production is exported to feed the world. To reduce shatter, cut under conditions of high humidity. Let’s go over everything you’ll need to know about harvesting lentils and storing them for later! Stir in contents of Indiana Harvest Sausage and Lentil Soup Mix seasoning packet. Leave lentils unshelled until you are ready to use them. Grain and return elevator chains should be adjusted correctly to avoid splitting or cracking seed: fan speed should be increased only to the point where an acceptable clean sample is produced; excessive fan speed will blow lentil seed out the back of a combine. Add lentils, garlic, bay leaf and basil to a … She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. Swathing will hasten drydown and prevent shattering. If the lentils don't fall off easily, they may not be ripe enough. Harvest lentils when the plant begin to turn yellow and the pods become brown. Use proper rates, high water volume and spray at the correct crop stage. You’ll know that it’s time to start harvesting lentils when the plant turns yellow and the pods begin to turn brown. Spring rolling lentil fields is recommended for proper swathing, since bottom pods are only a few inches off the ground. This article has been viewed 20,859 times. Green lentils are tough at 14.1% – 16% seed moisture, and considered damp at >16.0%. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Where are lentils grown? Poster (18"x24") … Red lentils are tough at 13.1% – 16.0% seed moisture, and damp at >16.0%. To assess crop stage, walk along a transect through a representative field section and randomly sample pods from the entire canopy (bottom to the top of the plants). Vine lifters will provide maximum lifting action but should not be cultivating the soil. Lentils taste great in curries, chilies, and soups. If you can't go outside, stand in front of a fan on a low setting. They might also turn into yellow-brown color. Lentils are cut and swathed into windrows approximately one week before harvesting to dry down the weeds and the lentils in instances of uneven crop maturity or heavy weed infestation. Sometimes smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser, lentils can be round, oval, or heart-shaped disks. Despite the problems in the Terai, the study found that more rain was good for lentil crops in the hills where drainage of water is easier. For dried seeds, harvest pods when they have matured and hardened. Thus, drydown is faster, more even and can be achieved late in the season when days are shorter and generally cooler. Suited to the damper, cooler climates of these regions, lentils are primarily expor… Thanks for the information.". Publishing date: Wait for them to dry out as well, then pull the vines out and pluck the pods off. After harvesting the plants, beat them by stick to thresh, or use machine for commercial production. This works well if you want to speed up the drying process without the use of chemical desiccants. Harvesting of lentils, dry peas, and chick-peas is carefully timed. Check in advance to ensure that the product you purchased is safe to use on foods. Special thanks to Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers. In most areas, this will be in July or August. How to Harvest Lentils 1. Harvest the crops too late and the excessive dry-ness can cause crop loss due to the shat-ter of the pods prior to or during harvest. If you have picked your plants but have noticed that some are still unripe, you can let them ripen and dry out using this same method. In late July and early August, harvest lentils when the lower pods are brown. This is the stage recommended for swathing, desiccation, or pre-harvest herbicide application. With consideration given to seeding, rolling and management of weeds, harvest can be a simple operation given the right equipment. Germination of seed is not affected unless applied in advance of the recommended stage. Keep them unshelled until ready for use. Lentils can be cut and swathed into windrows approximately one week before harvesting to dry down the weeds. The crop is ready for desiccation or swathing when the bottom third of the pods are yellow to brown, and seeds inside the pods rattle when shaken; upper pods will still be green but should be filled. References. Chaff includes leaves, stems, and other bits of dirt that might become mixed in with the lentils. On average, you can expect to get about. Market access is important to the Canadian pulse industry, and growers play a key role in keeping the doors open. Since lentil is harvested close to the ground, smooth soil surfaces and stone-free conditions are desirable. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. It can be difficult to tell when lentils have gone bad. They may also look yellow-brown in appearance. Using the combine on the crop prematurely can result in an immature, underdeveloped crop. Harvesting. There are between one to three lentils per pod. A minimum of 50 pods should be sampled. Threshing equipment equipped with flex header, automatic height control, pick-up reel or air reels and vine lifters are an asset. Puy lentils are the original green lentil that are actually harvested in the French region of Le Puy. Standing desiccated crops will also dry more rapidly after a rain, compared to a crop in swath. The decision to start the harvest process will depend on three factors: crop maturity (stage of uniformity – how variable is the crop’s maturity?). The decision to work straw back into the soil or bale and feed it is entirely up to each individual operation. Swathing will hasten drydown and prevent shattering. Swathing will hasten drydown and prevent shattering. This variability may be a reflection of soil fertility, moisture and environmental (growing) conditions. Make sure that the weather is dry when you start to harvest. If the swath is subjected to heavy and/or prolonged rain, quality loss can be high due to sprouting, wrinkling and disease build-up compared to a standing crop. What to look for to determine if your lentils are at 30% moisture: Eighty percent of the plant is yellow to brown in colour – this applies to the entire field, including the greenest part. Some varieties will mature, but unevenly, resulting in shatter losses as some pods become over-dry while others are still green. The days to maturity of lentils result in early harvest with less risk of inclement weather, ensuring the harvested grain is of high quality. While green lentil is considered dry and safe to store at 14% seed moisture and red lentil at 13%, it should only be threshed at 14% by producers who do not have drying or aeration equipment available (threshing at 14% moisture will result in higher shatter losses and quality losses from seed damage). Seeds from middle third are full size and firm, with 100% colour change (light green to tan-brown). Harvest and Storage . Dirt in the swath can result in earth tag and can result in downgrading. Canada. Glyphosate is not registered for crops destined for planting seed because irregular germination and seedling development can occur. Select lentils that are dry, firm, clean, and unshriveled. A 16% seed moisture content is considered ideal for harvesting lentil. Most lentil production in North America takes place in the Pacific Northwest, eastern Washington, northern Idaho and up into western Canada, grown since the 1930s as a rotation crop with wheat. Author of the article: Bloomberg News. With nine delicious varieties to choose from, it’s fun to find your favorite flavors! Chaffers should be set at 3/4” and cleaning sieves at 3/8” and then adjusted accordingly; tailings should be kept to a minimum. Spray only as many acres at one time as can be combined in two or three days after drydown. Days to threshing following application will increase under wet, cool conditions. Wet swaths can flatten out, making them harder to pick up (the use of swath turners or side-delivery rakes is not recommended due to excessive shatter losses). The use of a desiccant will usually eliminate the need for swathing, thus avoiding potential problems with wind blown swaths, rain-soaked swaths and pick-up losses. Try leaving them on a drying rack for a few days. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 20,859 times. Lentils are actually seeds that grow two to a pod and are dried after harvesting. There may be some variability in nutritive value between years and sites. By using our site, you agree to our. Western Canadian research into the nutritive levels and value of lentil straw is limited, but it is believed that lentil straw has considerable nutrient value when used as an alternative feed source and as a nutrient when returned to the soil. Consult product labels prior to use for final detailed instructions. Try rubbing off any remaining pods. Remove discolored, shriveled lentils and any foreign material. The moisture content of lentil seed can change quickly in warm and windy conditions. Lentil plants grow approximately 24 inches tall, with the seeds being produced in pods attached to the plant. While green lentil is considered dry and safe to store at <14%, red lentils are considered dry at 13% seed moisture. Crumble and brown sausage in oil. Assessing seed maturation in an indeterminate crop like lentil is challenging. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Seeds from bottom third of plant are tan-brown, hard, and pods rattle when shaken. Most fields will not be 100% uniform in topography – there could be greener conditions in lower, wetter areas and further advanced plants on higher areas. Chemical desiccation to dry down crop foliage and weeds will reduce the time from maturity to threshing readiness, reduce shatter loses, and result in improved quality if the seed is harvested before being exposed to wet weather. Straw that is slightly green or tough will remain almost whole going through the combine. If you wait too long, they may shatter. Lentils are quickly becoming a favorite crop due to their amazing health benefits and versatility in cooking. Acceptable seed moisture for threshing can range from 16% to 20%, provided adequate drying or aeration facilities are available. It is preferable to thresh at about 18% moisture and use aeration to dry the sample to 14% for green varieties and 13% for red varieties for safe storage. In fact, most of the nitrogen returned to the soil after growing a lentil crop comes from the straw.
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