The sowing time of peanut seeds is determined by the soil temperature at a depth of 10 centimeters. Generally, sowing can be carried out when the soil temperature at 10 cm depth steadily rises above 12°C, and the optimal sowing condition is a stable soil temperature of over 15°C at the same depth.
In southern regions with double cropping of peanuts in spring and autumn, the suitable sowing period ranges from February to mid-March. For the Yangtze River basin where spring and summer peanuts are intercropped, the ideal sowing window is from March to late April. In major northern peanut-growing areas, sowing mostly takes place from late April to early May. Temperature requirements for peanut germination: Spanish and Valencia peanut varieties can germinate at temperatures above 12°C, while Virginia and Runner types require temperatures over 15°C to germinate, hence their sowing time is slightly delayed.
Sowing spring peanuts at the appropriate time improves the utilization efficiency of land and light energy, resulting in short, sturdy plants with compact internodes, abundant branches, well-developed root systems, substantial dry matter accumulation, more blossoms and pods, a high rate of fully filled pods, and ultimately high yields and superior quality. Sowing too early hinders normal seed germination due to low temperatures, leading to slow seedling emergence, increased risks of soil pests and diseases, low seedling emergence rates, stunted seedling growth, and impaired flower bud differentiation and development. On the other hand, excessively late sowing in southern production areas exposes peanuts to high temperature and heavy rainfall, which causes excessive vegetative growth, lodging, and fewer pods. For peanuts grown in central and northern regions, especially Virginia varieties, pod filling and maturation often coincide with autumn drought and low temperatures. This disrupts pod development and nutrient accumulation, lowering the ratio of fully filled pods, kernel outturn rate and oil content, and consequently reducing both yield and quality.