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OTHER-COW PEAS (37G)

OTHER-COW PEAS (37G)

A$4.00

Availability: In stock

Seeds Per Pack: 630

Vigna unguiculata
OTHER-COW PEAS (56G) also know as Black eyed peas (which have a creamy colour) look more like a bean than a pea, and are believed to originate from West Africa. They come in various colours (and species) of red, black, brown or white and are excellent for fixing nitrogen in your soil, make a great cow fodder (hence the name) and are common ingredients in Indian cooking. A great addition to green manure, they are frost tender annuals suitable for animal fodder, silage, hay or grain as well. Being a fast growing legume they are nutritionally valuable containing many essential minerals and vitamins needed for body health, hair and skin. Such vitamins include A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, and minerals, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, zinc.
Able to reach heights over 60cm they spread easily over the garden. If used as green manure they are best chopped before seeding and flowering and turned into the soil. However they are easy to let go to seed to save for another years crop, and do not multiply like I have found with Wandering Dew.

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How to grow Cow Peas

  1. Choose a location with full sun exposure.  
  2. Ensure the soil is well-drained and fertile. Cowpeas prefer sandy loam but can tolerate various soil types. 
  3.  Test the soil pH; cowpeas thrive in slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 5.5-7.0). 
  4. Till the soil to a depth of 6-8 inches to loosen it.  Incorporate organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure to improve soil fertility. 
  5. Consider seed varieties suited to your local climate and growing conditions in any are available.
  6. Plant cowpeas after the last frost date in spring when the soil temperature is at least 65°F (18°C).    In warm climates, cowpeas can also be planted in late summer for an Autumn harvest.  
  7. Sow seeds directly in the garden, spacing them 5-8cm (2-3 inches) apart in rows at a depth of 2.5-3.8cm (1-1.5 inches) deep.  
  8. Space rows 60-91cm (24-36 inches) apart to allow for vine growth and air circulation.   
  9. Keep the soil consistently moist until the seeds germinate (7-10 days).    Once established, water cowpeas deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings.   Avoid overhead watering to reduce the risk of fungal diseases   
  10. If needed, apply a balanced fertilizer (e.g., 10-10-10) at planting time.  Cowpeas are legumes and can fix nitrogen, so they generally require less nitrogen fertilizer.  
  11. Side-dress with compost or organic fertilizer mid-season if plants show signs of nutrient deficiency.  
  12. Keep the planting area weed-free, especially during the early stages of growth.   Mulch around plants to suppress weeds and conserve soil moisture.   
  13. Monitor for common pests like aphids, thrips, and leafhoppers. Use insecticidal soap or neem oil if needed.  Prevent diseases by rotating crops, providing good air circulation, and avoiding overhead watering.   Remove and destroy any infected plants to prevent the spread of diseases.
  14. Harvest cowpeas when the pods are fully developed but still tender for fresh use.   For dry beans, allow the pods to mature and dry on the plant before harvesting.  Pick pods regularly to encourage continuous production.
  15. Fresh cowpeas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.   Dry cowpeas should be shelled and stored in a cool, dry place in airtight containers.
    These rules are a general guide. I did not do half of these steps and still produced a healthy sucessful crop simply by broadcasting the seeds on top of my garden bed which had been nourished for several years with an eco-eze Compot composter and ALL my kitchen waste. The soil was very nutrious but I did not test the pH.  So try a few different methods in your garden to see what works best. Sometimes the simplest method is the best.

Heritage of Cow Peas

 Cowpeas have an interesting history tracing back to Sub-Saharan Africa where they spread to East and West Africa and Asia evolving into many  varieties including the Yardlong Bean.  From here they spread to the Americas during the 17th century with the slave trade. 

The name “cowpea” itself originated from their use as a fodder crop for cows and their high protein content, which made them an excellent source of nutrition for livestock.  The term “cowpea” encompasses a wider range of cultivars and colors 

Often confused with Black Eyed peas (a type of cow pea) the two are quite different.  One has pale very creamy skin and a black spot (black eyed Pea typically small, round with a mild flabour) while the cow pea varies in colour, growth habitat, flowers and is generally larger and nuttier in flavour.   Both are used widly in curries and stews.

Incredibly versatile and resilient, makes them a staple in semi-arid regions due to their ability to produce in dry and hot conditions. They are the third most important pulse worldwide and are cultivated on more than 11.5 million hectares across Africa, Southeast Asia, and some countries in the Americas1. Not only are the seeds highly nutritious, with a high protein content, but the leaves are also an important food source in some African cultures1.

I personally found them a pleasure to grow and easy to harvest and save seeds.  I must try them one day in a curry.

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Category Colour Guide
Planting Guide for Australia

Scoville Heat Units (SHU)

Plant Height (cm)

30-60 cm (1-2 feet)

Season of Interest

Summer

Temperature Range (°C)

21-35°C (70-95°F)

Determine / Indeterminate

Annual / Perennial / Biennial

Annual

Frost Hardy / Tender

Tender

Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade

Full Sun

Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings

Sow Direct

Soil

Well-drained sandy loam soil

pH

5.5-6.5

Soil Temperature (°C)

Seed Preparation

Soak seeds in water for a few hours before planting to speed up germination

Sowing Depth (mm)

Plant Spacing (cm)

Row spacing (cm)

45-60 cm (18-24 inches)

Watering

Germination Time (Days)

Harvest Time (Days)

Good Companion Plants

Bad Companion Plants

Pests

Diseases

More About Us

ABSeeds is an Australian owned business trading under the umbrella of Direct Compost Solutions which is owned and managed by Victoria Brun.

We as a company endeavor to provide to the public, Organic, Old Fashioned, Heritage, and Open-pollinated seeds that have not been genetically modified.

We purchased the business in November 2018 and renamed it to ABSeeds (All ‘Bout Seeds) to make the title shorter and represent what we hope to achieve with this business in the years ahead.

Seeds that we can’t grow ourselves we will acquire from people who grow for us, or we may purchase seeds from reputable heritage seed companies.

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