Chickpea is a low-effort, low-risk legume for seed saving -- self-pollinating with minimal crossing risk, its main quirk is that each small pod holds only one or two seeds, so a decent-sized harvest needs a decent-sized patch.
New to terms like isolation distance or outcrossing? See the Seed-Saving Glossary.
Seed-Saving Difficulty
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Safe to Save
Very low crossing risk.
How It's Pollinated
Self-pollinating
(Very low crossing risk)
Scientific name: Cicer arietinum
Domestic Crops It Can Cross With
- Minimal crossing between chickpea varieties
Wild Relatives & Feral Species
- No significant wild relatives in most home garden regions
Separation Distances Required
Minimum: 5-10m between varieties
Recommended: Not usually needed beyond this
Strict: Not usually needed
Seed-Saving Strategies
- Allow pods to dry fully and turn brown and papery
- Harvest when pods rattle and seeds inside are hard
- Shell by hand or thresh a larger batch
- Store dry -- viable 4-5 years