Marcy Nicholson. Let’s go over everything you’ll need to know about harvesting lentils and storing them for later! Tops of the plants may still have slight green colour, but seeds are fully formed and not juicy. This variability may be a reflection of soil fertility, moisture and environmental (growing) conditions. To drydown the crop quickly and evenly, a producer can either chemically desiccate or swath (crop staging is the same for either method). What a lentil plant looks like? You’ll know that it’s time to start harvesting lentils when the plant turns yellow and the pods begin to turn brown. Select lentils that are dry, firm, clean, and unshriveled. When you pour the lentils into the bucket, chaff blows away in the wind while the heavier lentils remain in the buckets. Poster (18"x24") … As a food crop, the majority of world production comes from Canada and India, producing 58% combined of the world total. % of people told us that this article helped them. Consider the following: Dry lentil straw breaks up and pulverizes quite readily when combined. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. As the pods begin to dry, stop watering the plants. Seeds from middle third are full size and firm, with 100% colour change (light green to tan-brown). A good straw chopper and chaff spreader will cut and spread the straw and chaff sufficiently so that tillage or direct seeding is not a problem. The red lentil splitting industry prefers product with moisture content below 13% to improve the efficiency in their splitting plant. Sometimes smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser, lentils can be round, oval, or heart-shaped disks. The moisture content of lentil seed can change quickly in warm and windy conditions. Swathing will hasten drydown and prevent shattering. Lentil cultivation occurs from the Near East to the Mediterranean, Asia, Europe, and in areas of the western hemisphere as well. Because of these benefits, it is recommended that lentil straw remain on the field and not be baled off for feed purposes. If the lentils don't fall off easily, they may not be ripe enough. Pick-up reels should be adjusted ahead of the cutter bar and run at ground speed. Use the materials below to showcase lentils this month. Harvesting. Video Transcript. Leave lentils unshelled until you are ready to use them. Then, you will need to start breaking open the pods for the removal of … Other considerations may include weather patterns, and marketing considerations (for human consumption, livestock feed or seed). The reduced tariff could benefit the large Canadian crop now being harvested, but will be too early for the new Australian crop, which will mostly be harvested from November onward. Lentils can be straight combined when seeds and pods are fully mature, or after desiccation. Lentils are usually grown on large farms and harvested using expensive equipment. Keep it Clean Pulse Maximum Residue Limits Advisory, Agriculture Labs For Seed, Soil, Plant and Disease Diagnostics, Lentil Reproductive and Maturity Staging Guide, Managing Harvest Losses in Pulses and Soybeans, Keeping it Clean, Maximum Residue Limits Advisory. References. Since lentil is harvested close to the ground, smooth soil surfaces and stone-free conditions are desirable. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Check prior to application to ensure you are able to sell your crop. Don't try to wait for the top pods to mature if the bottom pods are ready. Puy lentils are the original green lentil that are actually harvested in the French region of Le Puy. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. Apply glyphosate for pre-harvest weed control and. Improved soil structure, tilth and recycled nitrogen for succeeding crops are all benefits of lentil straw incorporation. Materials. HARVESTING Lentils can be harvested for use as dry beans or when still green, like snap peas. It can also include shattered seed bits. Special thanks to Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers. Under good drying conditions, the quality of the swathed seed is usually better than if chemically desiccated, especially for green varieties. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Assessing seed maturation in an indeterminate crop like lentil is challenging. The goal of desiccants or harvest aids is to make sure the crop is dry and goes through the combine efficiently. There are between one to three lentils per pod. To reduce shatter, cut under conditions of high humidity. Pull the entire plant out of the ground by grasping the main stalk and rocking it back and forth in the soil until it... 3. If you intend to use them like peas, they should be ready after 70 – 80 days. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. For a more detailed explanation of how lentils are produced, watch this video. Swaths can be susceptible to wind movement (especially if cut later than the recommended stage), however, rolling swaths may result in greater seed shattering in the swath. 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. Lentils are quickly becoming a favorite crop due to their amazing health benefits and versatility in cooking. Powdery mildew and heavy weed infestations can reduce the effectiveness of the chemicals due to coverage reductions. Swathers or straight-cut combines should have a pick-up reel and vine lifters since lentil plants tend to lay at or on the ground at harvest. Consult product labels prior to use for final detailed instructions. Harvesting Lentils: Check all over the patch of lentils and remove the plants at the soil when the bottom part of the pods start sounding shaky when they are rattled. A desiccant is a contact herbicide, so green material is killed quickly and drydown begins within a very short time compared to natural drydown. Seeds from upper third of the plant have 50 – 75% colour change with no immature seeds (shiny green). They are not used fresh. Just remember that lentils must be dried on the plant to be harvested. Using the combine on the crop prematurely can result in an immature, underdeveloped crop. This article has been viewed 20,859 times. Harvest lentils when the plant begin to turn yellow and the pods become brown. Then, break open the pods to remove the seeds from the interior. Seeds from bottom third of plant are tan-brown, hard, and pods rattle when shaken. 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. The lentil (Lens culinaris or Lens esculenta) is an edible legume. Crumble and brown sausage in oil. They have the same grey-green color, and are known for having the best texture and flavor of all lentil varieties. However, a desiccant will not assist in maturing immature seed. This article has been viewed 20,859 times. It is about 40 cm (16 in) tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. While green lentil is considered dry and safe to store at <14%, red lentils are considered dry at 13% seed moisture. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. In most areas, this will be in July or August. Lentils are considered mature when the bottom third of the pods turn yellow to brown and rattle when shaken. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Thanks for the information.". It’s similar to harvesting dried peas or beans. Harvesting Lentils. With consideration given to seeding, rolling and management of weeds, harvest can be a simple operation given the right equipment. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. 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. 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). The benefits of chemical desiccation include: The opportunity to have the crop harvested sooner, reduces risk of exposure to wet weather, and eliminates the risk of swath movement from wind. Harvest and Storage . Read more Harvested area of lentils worldwide in 2018, by leading country (in 1,000 hectares)* Always speak with your input supplier and refer to the “Keeping it Clean” resource. Lentils can be a profitable cropping choice due to well-established market connections. Bring pot to a boil. Lentils are a short plant with good standability. 2. On average, you can expect to get about. 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). Rinse well. The lentils are then harvested in their dry form typically in mid-August. Because of this, they tend to be the most expensive type. Waiting for green weed growth to drydown will jeopardize quality and yields. This is the best lentil soup that combines all the flavors of French onion soup together with lentils for a more substantially filling and protein rich soup. A minimum of 50 pods should be sampled. If you harvest the lentils during rainy or wet weather, they may not dry out properly. 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. Where are lentils grown? This is also a good idea if the weather is very windy. Monitoring fields means checking plants in numerous locations for uniformity of stages of maturity. 105 cups (1.25 L) red quinoa, cooked 5 cups (1.25 L) whole red lentils, cooked 10 cups (2.5 L) baby kale 5 cups (1.25 L) sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes, roasted 5 cups (1. Lentil must be cut close to the ground to get the bottom pods with an angle of 20° to 30° suggested for the cutter bar. 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. For dried seeds, harvest pods when they have matured and hardened. Set concaves to allow good threshing and separation, with minimal seed damage – since the crop threshes easily, concave settings will usually be wider. Stir in broth and lentils. 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). How to Harvest Lentils 1. Excessively dry seed will chip and peel during threshing. this video is about Lentils harvest 2017. A decision to begin harvest will hinge on a majority of the field meeting certain criteria. They might also turn into yellow-brown color. Check in advance to ensure that the product you purchased is safe to use on foods. Let them air dry for a bit before rinsing them out. In 2018, the harvested land area of lentils in Canada amounted to about 1.5 million hectares. If you wait too long, they may shatter. French onion soup meets lentil soup with this delicious vegetarian French Lentil Soup recipe. Do not sacrifice the quantity and quality of your crop waiting for smaller greener areas to reach the proper stage to start harvest. When assessing the benefits of baling versus incorporating these nutrients into the soil, the cost of baling straw and hauling it must be taken into consideration. Pre-harvest field monitoring will help determine which harvest system to consider, if more than one is available, and will greatly assist in determining when to begin harvest operations. Swathing will hasten drydown and prevent shattering. "Eating at Persian place, and wondered how lentils grow. Vine lifters will provide maximum lifting action but should not be cultivating the soil. (4K video) Spray only as many acres at one time as can be combined in two or three days after drydown. Collect green pods within 70 to 80 days of planting to eat like them snap beans. If you've grown lentils at home, however, you can harvest your lentils with a few basic tools found around your house. Leave them to dry until the pods turn brown or yellow and rattle when shaken. Check with your red lentil buyer for any seed moisture content requirements. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Because lentil plants are short and stand well, combining with a straight cut, flex header can simplify the harvest process. You also can eat and harvest lentils as a snap bean. Wind can damage lentil plants that have been pulled up from the ground. Certain crop protection products can restrict the marketing options for your pulse crop. You need quite a few lentil plants to get a large harvest. Some varieties will mature, but unevenly, resulting in shatter losses as some pods become over-dry while others are still green. The color of lentils you choose will depend on your usage, but in … When halved, dried lentils resemble their split pea cousins. Wait for them to dry out as well, then pull the vines out and pluck the pods off. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Try intermittent fasting instead. Lentils are commonly used as dry beans or peas. Rolling will eliminate ridges and an uneven seed bed, and this approach will minimize dirt entering the combine (normal plant dust will not adhere to a dry lentil seed coat, but combined soil will). Different products may vary in how long they take to desiccate the plant. Swathing improves moisture uniformity of the lentil seed and reduces the amount of seed discoloration. Rinse under cold water. Lay each plant flat on a drying rack. Glyphosate is not registered for crops destined for planting seed because irregular germination and seedling development can occur. Dried lentils should be harvested around 110 days after sowing. Lentils must be cut close to the ground to get the bottom pods with an angle of 20° to 30° suggested for the cutter bar. Some buyers will not purchase lentils if a pre-harvest glyphosate application occurred. Raw lentils are 1% fat, 25% protein, 11% dietary fiber, 8% water and 63% carbohydrates. Some products may be limited by market access concerns. Farmers thinking of removing lentil straw should test it for protein, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur to determine the nutrient content. 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