GrowSabzHow to grow lentil in pots
Also called Masoor, masoor, adas, lens · Lens culinaris
مسور
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 6–8hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 0.7 Levery 4 days, 10 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 18–24°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 10 L20 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 80–110days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 1.5 kgper 20 L pot
Lentil grows well in containers given the right depth, consistent water and enough sun. From sowing to harvest takes about 100 days. The sections below cover the whole cycle — container size, exact watering amounts, feeding, what to watch for, and when to pick.
Short answer
Grow lentil in a 10 litre container at least 20 cm deep, watering about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil every 4 days, and keep temperatures between 18 and 24 °C. First harvest comes 80–110 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does lentil need?
10 litres and 20 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 10 L | 20 cm | Ensure good drainage. Lentils prefer not to be waterlogged. |
| Grow bag | 10 L | 20 cm | Fabric bags provide excellent aeration and drainage. |
| Open ground | — | 25 cm | Plant in well-draining soil. Space plants appropriately. |
| Raised bed | 20 L | 25 cm | Raised beds offer good drainage and control over soil conditions. |
Watering
How often should you water lentil?
Every 4 days through the growing season, at about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — every 2 days in hot weather, every 7 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Drip irrigation or base watering works best.
Too little water
- wilting
- leaf yellowing
- poor pod development
Too much water
- yellowing leaves
- stunted growth
- root rot
Avoid: overhead watering; standing water; soggy soil.
Climate
Can you grow lentil where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 18 – 24 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | -5 – 30 °C |
| Germinates above | 5 °C — best at 18 °C, about 8 days |
| Flowers drop | above 28 °C, or below 5 °C |
| Sunlight | 6–10 hrs/day, best 8 |
| Frost | Low sensitivity |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 30 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for lentil? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Lentil growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for lentil
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why lentil fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 10 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Lentil wants about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 28 °C, or below 5 °C, flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Harvesting too late
Left too long the colour changes, seeds harden and the flavour sharpens. Pick on the signs listed below, not on the calendar.
- Planting it beside Onion
Members of the Allium family (onions, garlic) can inhibit the growth of legumes like lentils.
Companions
What to plant with lentil
Good neighbours
Repels bean weevils and other common lentil pests, improving overall plant health.
Roots produce a chemical that kills root-knot nematodes, protecting lentil roots from damage.
Provides ground cover, suppressing weeds and helping to retain soil moisture for lentils.
Acts as a living mulch, shading the soil, reducing weed growth, and keeping the soil cool and moist.
Can provide a windbreak and some shade, and its deep roots can help break up compacted soil.
Keep apart from
Members of the Allium family (onions, garlic) can inhibit the growth of legumes like lentils.
Similar to onions, garlic can release compounds that stunt the growth of lentil plants.
Known to excrete substances from its roots that are detrimental to the growth of many plants, including lentils.
Can stunt the growth of lentils and compete for soil nutrients and water.
While both are legumes, growing peas and lentils together can lead to increased competition for resources and shared susceptibility to pests and diseases.
Problems
Lentil pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Rust humidity >85% · temp 15-25
Appears as small, reddish-brown pustules on leaves, stems, and pods. Can cause premature defoliation and yield loss.
Ascochyta Blight humidity >70% · temp 10-25
Causes circular lesions with dark margins on leaves, stems, and pods. Severe infections can lead to plant death.
Anthracnose humidity >90% · temp 20-30
Characterized by dark, sunken lesions on stems and pods, and irregular spots on leaves. Can cause significant yield reduction.
Powdery Mildew humidity 50-70% · temp 20-27
White, powdery fungal spots appear mainly on the upper surface of leaves. Causes leaves to yellow and die off prematurely.
Aphids humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and the undersides of leaves, sucking sap and secreting sticky honeydew. Can transmit viruses.
Lentil Weevil humidity any · temp >18
Small beetles that lay eggs on developing pods. Larvae bore into seeds, causing damage and reducing seed quality.
Root Rot humidity >80% · temp 10-20
Caused by various fungi in overly wet or poorly drained soil. Leads to yellowing, wilting, and eventual death of the plant.
Fusarium Wilt humidity any · temp 20-30
Soil-borne fungal disease causing yellowing of lower leaves, wilting, and stunting. Often affects one side of the plant first.
Harvest
When to harvest lentil
First picking falls between day 80 and day 110.
How to tell it's ready
- Pods turn yellow/brown and dry
- Seeds rattle inside pods
- Lower leaves have dropped
How much to expect
Storing it: Dry, cool, airtight container
Questions
Lentil: common questions
How long does lentil take to grow?
About 100 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 80 and day 110. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does lentil need?
At least 10 litres and 20 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 20 litres of soil and 25 cm of depth.
How often should I water lentil?
About 600 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 4 days in normal weather — every 2 days when it is hot and every 7 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
What temperature does lentil need?
It does best between 18 °C and 24 °C and survives from -5 °C to 30 °C. Seed needs soil above 5 °C to germinate, ideally around 18 °C.
Can I grow lentil in winter?
It tolerates cold better than most, down to about -5 °C, so a sheltered spot or a cold frame will often carry it through.
How do I know when lentil is ready to harvest?
Pods turn yellow/brown and dry; Seeds rattle inside pods; Lower leaves have dropped. Once picked: dry, cool, airtight container
How much does one lentil plant produce?
Roughly 1.5 kg from a 20 litre container, or about 5 kg in open ground. Larger containers give proportionally more, up to a point.