Harvesting Chickpeas: Fresh Green Pods vs. Dried Beans

Harvesting chickpeas is one of the most rewarding parts of growing this ancient Mediterranean crop. After years of raising chickpeas in raised beds and warm-season dry plots, I’ve learned that when you harvest determines both flavor and yield. Chickpeas can be enjoyed two ways: as tender fresh green pods (often called “green garbanzos”) or as fully dried beans for long storage. Each harvest stage has its own timing, signs of readiness, and handling steps.

Below is a practical, experience-based guide to harvesting chickpeas at both stages—and how to decide which is right for your garden and kitchen.

Table of Contents

Harvesting Fresh Green Chickpeas (“Green Garbanzos”)

Why Grow Them Green?

Green chickpeas are sweet, grassy, and tender—more like fresh shelling peas than dried beans. I often harvest a small portion of each crop green because the flavor is unmatched.

When to Pick

Pods are bright green, plump, and slightly firm.
Harvest begins 60–70 days after planting, depending on variety and weather.
Pick before pods start to yellow, which signals the shift toward drying.

How to Harvest

Clip pods individually using scissors or your fingers.
Handle gently—fresh pods bruise easily.
Plan to eat them within a day or two; they deteriorate quickly once picked.

How to Use Fresh Chickpeas

Lightly sautéed or roasted in the pod
Blanched and shelled for salads
Mashed into spreads or quick dips

I often roast them in their pods with olive oil and salt—an ideal garden snack.

Harvesting Chickpeas for Dried Beans

Why Harvest Dry?

Dried chickpeas store for a year or more and are perfect for soups, stews, and homemade hummus. Most gardeners grow chickpeas primarily for dried use.

When to Pick

Plants turn tan or straw-colored.
Pods rattle when shaken.
The plant is dry from top to bottom.
This stage usually arrives 100–120 days after planting.

How to Harvest

Cut plants at the base when fully dry.
Hang in bundles or lay on a tarp for 1–2 additional days to finish drying.
Thresh by gently rolling the pods between your hands or stepping on the dry plants.
Winnow or blow away the chaff.

Drying Tips From Experience

Harvest early in the day before pods heat up; overly dry pods can shatter.
If rain threatens, pull plants early and finish drying indoors.
Always store beans at less than 13% moisture—crunchy and hard to the bite.

Should You Harvest Green or Dry?

Most gardeners do both. Here’s my rule of thumb:

For flavor: Pick 10–20% of pods green early in the season.
For storage: Leave the rest to mature fully and dry on the plant.
Chickpeas are indeterminate, so pods mature at slightly different times—selective picking works well.

Storing Your Dried Chickpeas

Store beans in airtight jars or food-safe buckets.
Keep in a cool, dark pantry.
Beans remain viable for up to 3 years, though best flavor is in year one.

Final Thoughts

Harvesting chickpeas at the right stage is straightforward once you know the cues. Fresh green chickpeas offer a seasonal treat with bright, pea-like flavor, while dried chickpeas provide a year-round pantry staple. With a bit of attention to timing—and a preference for either tenderness or storability—you can enjoy the full versatility of this ancient crop right from your garden.