Garbanzo Bean Plants

The garbanzo bean, often called chickpea, is a garden vegetable.Southern Stock/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Known by several names, the garbanzo bean plant is most commonly called the chickpea, according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension website. The garbanzo bean plant exhibits hairy stems and is a low, bushy, pealike annual. Leaves consist of a number of pairs of small leaflets. Edible seeds contained in pods measure about 1/3 inch in diameter, appear roughly spherical in shape and somewhat wrinkled and flattened on the sides.

Habitat

Adapted to semiarid, warm climates, garbanzo thrives in regions such as coastal California, according to the University of Florida Extension website. Coastal California climate conditions in February through April, with a preference for March, provide the most beneficial planting season for garbanzo plants. The bush grows best under full sun, low moisture and low-nutrient conditions. Good soil drainage and a four- to five-month ideal growing season provide a sufficient length of time for garbanzo beans to fully mature.

Keep the plant bed moist until the new garbanzo bean shoots appear through the soil, according to the Harvest to Table website. During flowering and pod formation, water regularly but avoid overwatering, as this causes the flowers and pods to fall off. During warm weather, mulch the bean plants to preserve soil moisture. Garbanzo bean plants participate in a nitrogen-fixing bacteria exchange with soil micro-organisms to produce nitrogen for the plant. Therefore avoid nitrogen-rich fertilizers or composting materials.

Although susceptible to a few plant diseases such as mosaic, anthracnose and blight, garbanzo bean plants also come in disease-resistant varieties, according to the Harvest to Table website. Soil-borne diseases also strike the garbanzo. Avoid handling the plant when wet to keep from spreading fungal spores. Also, if growing garbanzo beans in consecutive seasons, rotate the location of the beans each year to cut down on the spread of soil-borne disease.