How to Grow Peanuts in Pennsylvania

Fill a pot with loose soil. Peanut plants grow best in loose soil that is rich in organic matter and with a pH of 5.8 to 6.2. Make sure the soil is at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Plant the seeds in a pot eight weeks before the last day of frost. Place the seeds 1.5 to 3 inches below the soil and 6 to 8 inches apart. Plant them inside the shell. Keep the pot indoors by a sunny window until after the last day of frost.

Place the pot outside on days that are above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Peanuts require around 120 days without frost, and nearly all of these days need to be above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Pennsylvania typically has from 170 to 130 days without frost. However, the average temperature during summer is about 70 degrees, with the temperature varying across Pennsylvania. Keep the peanut plants in a warm area all year round. On days below 85 degrees, keep the plant inside in a room that is 85 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

Water the soil regularly to keep it moist until the plant begins flowering. Once the plant has flowers, allow the soil to dry between each watering.

Place a mound of soil around the base of the plant when the plant is 12 inches tall. This will provide a place for the plant stems to push into the soil. Put a light layer of mulch around the plant to make harvesting the peanuts easier.

Harvest the peanuts when the plant turns yellow, around 120 to 150 days after the plant was planted. Pull the whole plant out of the soil and remove the excess dirt. Hang the plant to dry for two weeks. Once dried, shell and eat the peanuts or store them.