Crop Rotation Group
Legumes (Pea and Bean family)
|
|
Soil
Any average, well drained soil.
|
Position
Full sun.
|
Frost tolerant
A cool-season annual, winter field peas (Austrian peas), can tolerate heavy frost but are killed by temperatures below 0to -10F (-17 to -23C). In the US, they are rated as hardy to Zone 7.
|
Feeding
When using winter field peas to improve very poor soil, mixing a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil before planting will give better results.
|
Companions
-
|
Spacing
Single Plants: 3" (10cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 3" (10cm) with 7" (20cm) row gap (minimum)
|
Sow and Plant
Poke holes in prepared seedbed and plant seeds 1 to 2 inches (3 to 5 cm) deep. Gaps between plants can be filled with an upright grain.
Our Garden Planning Tool can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
|
Notes
Primarily grown to increase soil nitrogen. Highly recommended as a winter cover crop to go before sweet corn because of its vigorous nitrogen-fixing activity in early spring. Very low weedy potential compared to other cover crops.
|
Harvesting
For maximum nitrogen gain, chop plants down and turn them under as soon as they begin to bloom. You also can pull up the plants and compost them.
|
Troubleshooting
Allow at least 3 weeks after turning under winter pea residue before direct-seeding vegetables, because the rotting vegetation can cause an increase in damping off of seedlings.
|