Instructions to Develop Cowpeas
In spite of the fact that cowpea is a notable nursery plant in the South, this yield merits more consideration the nation over. Its long, slim cases are loaded up with a productive number of seeds.
When to Plant Cowpea Seeds The majority of gardeners plant cowpea seeds outdoors immediately after the risk of frost has passed. To accelerate germination, thoroughly water seeds.
Requirements for Space Plant the cowpea seeds directly into warm soil, 2 to 3 inches apart, and 12 inches deep.
Time to Germination Cowpeas germinate quickly.
Special considerations The growing habits of various cowpea varieties vary. Some cowpeas, like pole beans, climb, while others, like bush beans, form compact plants.
Normal Vermin and Sicknesses
Cowpeas can be impacted by various sicknesses and are defenseless to viral contaminations. Grow cowpeas in various parts of your garden each year because some of these bacterial and fungal diseases can live in the soil for years. To forestall the spread of contagious and bacterial sicknesses among plants, try not to work in your bean fix when the foliage is wet. Pick the leaves off your plants and put them in a jar of soapy water to get rid of bugs and beetles that might eat them. To stop diseases and pests from continuing their life cycles, promptly remove and compost mature plants.
Cowpeas can be harvested early or later in the season when the pods are dry and brittle and the seeds inside are hard for culinary use, like green beans.
Consuming Young Cowpea Pods Fresh, canned, or frozen are the best options. Dry cowpeas should be splashed and bubbled prior to eating.
How to Store Cowpeas Cowpeas can be kept dry for years.
How to Save Cowpea Seeds Whether the plants are grown for their immature beans (some pods are simply left on the vine to reach seed maturity) or for their dry beans, harvesting for food and harvesting for seed are the same thing, saving seeds from these crops is simple. A gardener can even grow and save seeds from multiple cultivars during the same season due to the relatively short isolation distance required to maintain a variety.
The recommended isolation distance for life cycles is 10 to 20 feet.
