Crop Rotation Group
Legumes (Pea and Bean family)
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Soil
Any average, well-drained soil.
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Position
Full sun.
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Frost tolerant
A cool-season annual, winter field peas (Austrian peas) can tolerate heavy frost but are killed by temperatures below 0 to -10ºF (-17 to -23ºC). In the US, they are rated as hardy to Zone 7.
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Feeding
None required.
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Companions
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Spacing
Single Plants: 3" (10cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 3" (10cm) with 7" (20cm) row gap (minimum)
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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.
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Notes
Primarily grown to increase soil nitrogen. Highly recommended as a winter cover crop to grow before sweet corn because of its vigorous nitrogen-fixing activity in early spring. Very low weedy potential compared to other cover crops.
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Harvesting
For maximum nitrogen gain, chop plants down and compost them as soon as they begin to bloom.
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Troubleshooting
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