Growing Cowpea

Vining varieties are very vigorous and drought resistant, but they should be given extra room, or trellised, or planted so they can climb stalks of dent corn.

Are cowpeas easy to grow?

These easy-to-grow, heat-loving plants make an awesome summer cover crop to block out the weeds. As a legume, cowpeas are a fast-growing nitrogen fixer, making it a great choice as a chop and drop plant. They attract pollinators and beneficial microorganisms, and of course, the beans and new growth are edible.

What month do you plant cowpeas?

Cowpeas can be planted in most of the country from May to August. Later plantings can provide succulent growth to attract deer for an early bow shot. Cowpeas can tolerate a wide range of soil types but do best when planted in well-drained soils that are slightly acidic.

How do you grow cowpea beans?

Time of Planting: Most gardeners plant cowpea seeds directly outdoors, once the danger of frost has passed. Water seeds well to speed up germination. Spacing Requirements: Plant the cowpea seeds 2-3 inches apart, ½ inch deep directly into warm soil. Time to Germination: Cowpeas are quick to germinate.

How long does it take for cowpeas to mature?

Cowpeas take 80 days or more to become ready for harvest. If growing on a vine, they will need some support like a pole or fence during their growth.

Do cowpeas need fertilizer?

Fertilization: N is not required. Cowpea performs best on well-drained sandy loams or sandy soils where soil pH is in the range of 5.5 to 6.5. Excess nitrogen (N) promotes lush vegetative growth and delays maturity. A starter N rate of around 27 lb/acre is recommended for early plant development on low-N soils.

Do you soak cowpeas before planting?

Answer: Yes, soaking the amount of pea seed you wish to plant in your garden in a cup of lukewarm water overnight will help the seed to absorb water and shorten the amount of time they need to germinate.

Do cowpeas add nitrogen to soil?

Part of the legume family, cowpea roots produce nodules that house microbial life. In this symbiotic relationship, cowpeas produce carbon for the microbes and in turn the microbes produce nitrogen for the plants.

How late can you plant cowpeas?

In most areas, cowpeas can be planted from early May to early August. Plant too early and you risk frost and low soil temperatures preventing good germination. Plant too late and you risk an early frost terminating growth too early in the cycle.

Can cowpeas be broadcast?

Cowpea seed can be broadcast by hand, then lightly incorporated. Photo by Bob Bugg. Cowpea may be grown in combination with sorghum-sudan grass hybrids and other warm-season cover crops.

What conditions do cowpeas grow in?

Both lablab and cowpeas do best under warm, humid conditions, with temperatures between 20°C and 30°C. They both display outstanding tolerance to periods of heat and moisture stress.

Are cowpeas frost tolerant?

Cowpeas are heat and dry tolerant but frost will finish them. Can be grown in cooler areas if they are started under cover and planted out after last frost.

Are cowpeas bush or vine?

Because cowpea is a heat-loving vine, it will grow on trellises, up arbors, and over teepees.

Are cowpeas heat tolerant?

“Cowpea can take the heat, but not if night-time temperatures reach 35°C,” said Boukar. “At those temperatures, pollen won't develop, and without pollen we won't get any seeds.” But distant relatives of cowpea growing in the wild in Africa can take the heat and drought better than their domesticated counterparts.

How tall does cowpeas get?

Cowpeas (Vigna Unguiculata) - Cowpeas grow 24 - 36 inches tall and are very heat and drought tolerant. They are very hardy, making them an excellent choice for food plots in the southern United States.

How much nitrogen do cowpeas fix?

Other grain legumes, such as peanuts, cowpeas, soybeans, and fava beans, are good nitrogen fixers and will fix all of their nitrogen needs other than that absorbed from the soil. These legumes may fix up to 250 lb of nitrogen per acre and are not usually fertilized (Walley et al., 1996; Cash et al., 1981).

Are cowpeas good for soil?

Cowpeas are also shade tolerant, making them a good choice for growth alongside taller crops. Further, they maximize the soil's work while increasing soil health. It seems counterintuitive for a field to work harder and be healthier. However, cowpeas pull valued nitrogen out of the air for use in the root zone.

How do you increase cowpea yield?

Our results indicated that applying the Bradyrhizobia inoculant together with P and K fertilizer could increase cowpea grain yield more than 200%, with about 50% increase of dry matter yield.

Do cowpeas have deep roots?

The root system of the cowpea is deep rooted with a strong taproot. It also has many lateral roots which spread in surface soil. Root depths of up to 2,4 m have been measured as soon as eight weeks after planting. This means the plant has the ability to access nutrients far deeper than a maize plant can.

What can you plant with cowpeas?

Beans should not be grown in the same spot more than once every four years, and can be mutually beneficial with corn, strawberries and cucumber. Avoid planting beans near onion or fennel.