Cicer arietinum

Easy to Grow | Smoky Nutty Flavor

A very easy to grow legume, garbanzos have enchanted us over the last few years. The plants form frilly bushes with little purple pea flowers and sparkle in the mid-day sun. When you run your hands through them they are cooling in the most magical way.

We plant these in March along with our peas and they are often the first seeds we harvest in summertime. They enjoy growing in the cool season and after their pods form you can eat them green or wait until the plants dry down. When the bushes turn brown you can harvest the whole stems that make the most beautiful rattles. Thresh and winnow and you are ready to eat. One bonus is garbanzos hold very well on the plant, allowing them to be harvested over a long window or neglected for a bit.

This charcoal black variety originated in Afghanistan. It has a smoky, nutty flavor and when cooked it stays firmer than its tan counterparts. This makes it well suited to adding to salads, pilafs, and soups. Hope you give it a try!

• Approx 40 seeds/packet

Grown by Horton Nash in Paonia, Colorado.