How to Grow Lentil
Lentil At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -7°C
Plant Family
Fabaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Lentils handle light frost, so sow them in early spring, about 3 weeks before your last frost. Push the seeds 3 cm deep and about 10 cm apart, in rows or a small block. They sprout in 10 to 14 days. Sow a whole patch rather than a few plants, since each plant gives only a small handful of lentils, and the short stems lean on each other for support.
Canada grows more lentils than almost any other country, mostly on the dry Prairies, so they suit our cool springs and short summers. Like peas and beans, they feed the soil by taking nitrogen from the air with the help of tiny lumps on their roots, which leaves the bed richer for the next crop.
When To Start
Lentil likes cool weather. Sow it in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Lentil?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Lentil Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Lentil Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow lentils outdoors now, they handle light frost
3 weeks before your last frost
Pull lentil plants when the lower pods are brown and dry
About 100 days after you plant it
Did you water your lentil seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Time to thin the lentil seedlings: snip the extras at soil level so each one has room to grow.
About 24 days after you plant it
Your lentils are growing! Keep weeds away from the young plants, they do not like to share space.
About 47 days after you plant it
Almost there! Ease off watering once pods form so they can start to dry on the plant.
About 81 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your lentil.
About 100 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Lentil's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 10–14 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow lentils in full sun, at least 6 hours a day.
- 2They prefer ordinary, well-drained soil, so skip the compost if your bed is already rich.
- 3Water until the seedlings are up, then only in long dry spells, since lentils like it on the dry side and rot in soggy soil.
- 4They make their own food from the air, so they need no extra feeding.
- 5Pull weeds by hand while the plants are small, because the short, thin seedlings are easily crowded out.
- 6Wash aphids off with a spray of water, and leave room for air to flow through the patch in a wet summer.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~100
Days to Maturity
40 cm
Mature Height
20 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
14 days
When to Pick
Pull when the lower pods are brown and dry, ~100 days
How to Harvest
- 1Lentils are ready about 100 days after sowing, when the lower pods are brown and dry and rattle when you shake them.
- 2Pull or cut the whole plants on a dry day before the pods split open.
- 3Hang them or lay them on a sheet under cover for 1 to 2 weeks to finish drying.
- 4Crush the dry pods in a pillowcase or by hand, then pour the lentils between two bowls in a light breeze to blow off the bits of pod.
- 5Store the dry lentils in a sealed jar, and always cook them before eating.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Lentil flowers pollinate themselves, so the seeds grow true and you do not need to keep varieties apart. Your harvest is your seed: set aside some of the biggest, cleanest lentils. Make sure they are fully dry, then store them labelled somewhere cool, dark and dry, where they keep at least 3 years.
Seed Production
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