Write an article based on this "Choose the right location. Prepare the soil. Transplant after the frost passes. Keep the seedlings close. Bury the entire seedling pot."
Chickpeas thrive in "full sun" conditions, so you should choose an area that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight. Ideally, the soil bed should also have loose, well-drained soil already packed with organic material. You can grow chickpeas in partial shade, but doing so will dramatically decrease the eventual yield. Do not plant chickpeas in areas where green manures have grown or in soils that have a high nitrogen content. Nitrogen will cause the leaves to get large and bushy, but the overall yield of the plant will end up decreasing if nitrogen levels are too high. Avoid heavy clay soils or areas that are especially shady. To improve the condition of the soil and ready it for your plants, chop in a few handfuls of aged compost a day to a week before transplanting. Also consider mixing in a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorus to encourage a higher yield. If the soil is too heavy, mix in agricultural sand, fine gravel, or a soil perfecter to make it less dense and to improve drainage. Avoid mixing in mosses, since these tend to trap too much water. Chickpea seedlings are considered "frost tolerant," but they still thrive best when transplanted outdoors after the threat of frost passes. The seedlings should also be about 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12.7 cm) tall at the time of transplant. The plants will grow best when daytime temperatures range between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 and 27 degrees Celsius) and when night temperature stay above 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius). Space the seedlings 5 to 6 inches (12.7 to 15.25 cm) apart. The holes you dig should be as deep as the seedling pots. As they grow, the plants will start crowding into each other. A little crowding can actually be a good thing, though, since the plants help support each other as they cross into each other. If planting the chickpeas in rows, space the rows 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm) apart. As noted, each hole you dig should be big enough to fit the entire seedling pot. Place the seedling pot in the hole and lightly cover the edges with additional soil. Do not attempt to remove the seedlings from their pots. Doing so can shock the delicate root system and cause the plants to die.