Seeds from bottom third of plant are tan-brown, hard, and pods rattle when shaken. It is about 40 cm (16 in) tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. Lentils are actually seeds that grow two to a pod and are dried after harvesting. Poster (18"x24") … Some buyers will not purchase lentils if a pre-harvest glyphosate application occurred. These modifications keep soil from being mixed in with the seeds. Always speak with your input supplier and refer to the “Keeping it Clean” resource. Want to stay connected? Stir in contents of Indiana Harvest Sausage and Lentil Soup Mix seasoning packet. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Let’s go over everything you’ll need to know about harvesting lentils and storing them for later! In late July and early August, harvest lentils when the lower pods are brown. Pick through the lentils. The lentils are great source of protein and some other necessary nutrients. The red lentil splitting industry prefers product with moisture content below 13% to improve the efficiency in their splitting plant. This works well if you want to speed up the drying process without the use of chemical desiccants. It can also include shattered seed bits. 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. A decision to begin harvest will hinge on a majority of the field meeting certain criteria. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 20,859 times. 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. Crumble and brown sausage in oil. The lentils are then harvested in their dry form typically in mid-August. As a food crop, the majority of world production comes from Canada and India, producing 58% combined of the world total. Last Updated: April 27, 2020 This is the stage recommended for swathing, desiccation, or pre-harvest herbicide application. Because lentil plants are short and stand well, combining with a straight cut, flex header can simplify the harvest process. They may also look yellow-brown in appearance. % of people told us that this article helped them. The moisture content of lentil seed can change quickly in warm and windy conditions. They might also turn into yellow-brown color. If some areas of the field are immature, it is better to go around those areas when desiccating if the goal is the highest quality seed production. 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. 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. With proper field prep and rolling, straight combining is preferred and the most efficient harvest method. Lentils can be cut and swathed into windrows approximately one week before harvesting to dry down the weeds. Straw that is slightly green or tough will remain almost whole going through the combine. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Application too early will reduce seed size and yield and delay can result in excessive shatter losses and may result in residue levels founds in the seed. Where are lentils grown? By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Swathing will hasten drydown and prevent shattering. 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. Read more Harvested area of lentils worldwide in 2018, by leading country (in 1,000 hectares)* The other main factor is that Turkey had a disappointing lentil harvest. Use the materials below to showcase lentils this month. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. With consideration given to seeding, rolling and management of weeds, harvest can be a simple operation given the right equipment. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. The decision to work straw back into the soil or bale and feed it is entirely up to each individual operation. Harvesting. Montana is the top producer of lentils in the United States, producing almost 40% of the lentils grown nationwide! 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. Other considerations may include weather patterns, and marketing considerations (for human consumption, livestock feed or seed). If you wait too long, they may shatter. Threshing can also help shell the lentils, breaking them away from their pods. This article has been viewed 20,859 times. Keep the cutter bar clean to improve cutting action. Leave them to dry until the pods turn brown or yellow and rattle when shaken. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Lentil Nutrition. [1] X Research source If you harvest the lentils during rainy or wet weather, they may not dry out properly. Dirt in the swath can result in earth tag and can result in downgrading. Use proper rates, high water volume and spray at the correct crop stage. Put the stem in the palm of your hand and use your fingers to separate the lentils. Harvest and Storage . Bottleneck hitting farmers just as pulse exports to Asia and India typically pick up following a large Canadian harvest. The crop and in-crop weeds must have enough green material remaining at application time for the herbicide to be effective. A desiccant is a contact herbicide, so green material is killed quickly and drydown begins within a very short time compared to natural drydown. Just remember that lentils must be dried on the plant to be harvested. Consider the following: Dry lentil straw breaks up and pulverizes quite readily when combined. Lentil cultivation occurs from the Near East to the Mediterranean, Asia, Europe, and in areas of the western hemisphere as well. Swathing improves moisture uniformity of the lentil seed and reduces the amount of seed discoloration. Pick-up reels should be adjusted ahead of the cutter bar and run at ground speed. this video is about Lentils harvest 2017. 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 most areas, this will be in July or August. If the entire crop will take more than two or three days to combine, stagger the desiccant application so that not all the crop is ready at the same time. Instructions Place lentils in a fine mesh colander and pick through removing any little stones and debris you may find. Timing is critical for maximizing yield, minimizing quality concerns, and ensuring grain is marketable. 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). It takes 80-110 days to harvest lentils as a dried plant, though a few varieties take up to 130 days. The actual process of how to harvest lentils is quite simple. Rotor or cylinder speed is usually a compromise between a slow speed to prevent seed damage and a faster speed to prevent cylinder plugging – the ideal is usually between 250 and 500 RPM. Improved soil structure, tilth and recycled nitrogen for succeeding crops are all benefits of lentil straw incorporation. Swathing will hasten drydown and prevent shattering. This is also a good idea if the weather is very windy. HARVESTING Lentils can be harvested for use as dry beans or when still green, like snap peas. Dried lentils should be harvested around 110 days after sowing. Harvesting Lentils. 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. Wait until the pods on the lentil plant have turned yellow. 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). You also can eat and harvest lentils as a snap bean. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. When you pour the lentils into the bucket, chaff blows away in the wind while the heavier lentils remain in the buckets. Pre-harvest glyphosate should be applied on lentils when the crop is at less than 30% seed moisture with a pre-harvest interval of 7 days. 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. There are numerous products registered for use as desiccants in lentils. To obtain high-quality seed, the crop should be carefully and frequently monitored before combining. 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. 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). For a more detailed explanation of how lentils are produced, watch this video. Market access is important to the Canadian pulse industry, and growers play a key role in keeping the doors open. Wait until July or August to harvest. In 2018, the harvested land area of lentils in Canada amounted to about 1.5 million hectares. Lentils are usually grown on large farms and harvested using expensive equipment. Harvest lentils when the plant begin to turn yellow and the pods become brown. Spray only as many acres at one time as can be combined in two or three days after drydown. They are not used fresh. Seeds from upper third of the plant have 50 – 75% colour change with no immature seeds (shiny green). Try rubbing off any remaining pods. Chaff includes leaves, stems, and other bits of dirt that might become mixed in with the lentils. Lentils are quickly becoming a favorite crop due to their amazing health benefits and versatility in cooking. Try leaving them on a drying rack for a few days. 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. 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. What a lentil plant looks like? Lentils are a short plant with good standability. The days to maturity of lentils result in early harvest with less risk of inclement weather, ensuring the harvested grain is of high quality. One of the benefits from growing a lentil crop is the positive effect of lentil residue in the soil. The family will then work with a broker to sell the crop around the world. Check in advance to ensure that the product you purchased is safe to use on foods. Because of these benefits, it is recommended that lentil straw remain on the field and not be baled off for feed purposes. You’ll know that it’s time to start harvesting lentils when the plant turns yellow and the pods begin to turn brown. More than 85% of Canada’s pulse production is exported to feed the world. Green weed material in a straight-cut operation will cause extra wetness in the threshing areas of the combine, resulting in moisture on the seed coat and dirt adhering to this moisture (earth tag). Harvesting of lentils, dry peas, and chick-peas is carefully timed. While green lentil is considered dry and safe to store at <14%, red lentils are considered dry at 13% seed moisture. Using the combine on the crop prematurely can result in an immature, underdeveloped crop. To use them as dry beans, wait the entire maturation period (about 110 days) and harvest the pods once they are hardened. When lentils are used as a dry grain, the seed is called a pulse. 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. It is an annual plant known for its lens-shaped seeds. After harvesting the plants, beat them by stick to thresh, or use machine for commercial production. Dried lentils are ready for harvest 110 days after sowing. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Collect green pods within 70 to 80 days of planting to eat like them snap beans. As lentils are grown after paddy is harvested, the introduction of early-maturing paddy could help farmers plant lentils earlier and thus prevent infestation of fungal diseases, the study suggested. 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). 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. Ever wondered how lentils are grown? Set concaves to allow good threshing and separation, with minimal seed damage – since the crop threshes easily, concave settings will usually be wider. It does require the right type of weather, however. Dieting is the WORST. If they appear hard and brittle or if they take longer to cook than normal, you may wish to toss them. Green lentils are tough at 14.1% – 16% seed moisture, and considered damp at >16.0%. Materials. Lentils, botanically-known as Lens culinaris esculenta, grow in pods that contain either one or two lentil seeds. And after threshing, clean the seeds and dry them in sun. Harvested lentils for 2020 was 514,000 versus 425,000 with 2020 production at 7,411,000 versus 5,311,000 for 2019. 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. Seeds should be shelled from the pods and the representative seed sample assessed. The decision to start the harvest process will depend on three factors: crop maturity (stage of uniformity – how variable is the crop’s maturity?). Germination of seed is not affected unless applied in advance of the recommended stage. Swathed green weeds are unlikely to dry sufficiently in a few days, so combining will be delayed. When halved, dried lentils resemble their split pea cousins. Lentils are considered mature when the bottom third of the pods turn yellow to brown and rattle when shaken. Canada. Acceptable seed moisture for threshing can range from 16% to 20%, provided adequate drying or aeration facilities are available. You need quite a few lentil plants to get a large harvest. Sign up for our newsletter. If you harvest the lentils during rainy or wet weather, they may not dry out properly.