Black-eyed peas have garnered this nickname due to the dark spot found on the inside of their seed, which connects to the pod.
Uncooked black-eyed pea pods are usually medium to light green, like green beans. Inside the pods are seeds of a yellow to buff coloring with a circular dark spot near the curved side. It is available as both a climbing bush and a bush kind and can be consumed as a snap bean allowed to grow longer, as a cooking pea, or in shelled form.
In terms of nutrition and health they are as healthy as pea greens, to know more about pea greens click here.
This vegetable should be planted outdoors in spring, when soil temperatures have exceeded 65 degrees. While this happens in any hardiness zone, black-eyed peas need a lot of time to mature, as true hybrids’ major varieties typically require as much as 90 days.
Scientific Overview
Their scientific or botanical name is Vigna Unguiculata, belongs to the kingdom plantae and pea family. The common names they are famous for in different regions are Souther pea, cowpea, and black eyed pea.
Steps in Planting Cowpeas
- This pea category is more heat-loving than vine varieties, not until they reach an ideal temperature of 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Cowpeas will mature faster than vine varieties if you plant them in succession every two weeks, whether the weather is conducive.
- You can grow several black eyed pea plants in a container, but the yield won’t be anywhere near as large as what you would attain when you plant them in the ground. Even the bush varieties are full-scale plants, so they require some kind of cage for support and feel contained.
- Although black-eyed peas don’t need added fertilizer if your soil is very poor, if your leaves are pale, side-dress with nitrogen fertilizer, such as fish emulsion or blood meal. When grown as a pole bean, black-eyed peas can improve midseason by side-dressing with compost.
- Black-eyed peas are the most frequently attacked plant by root-knot nematodes. Examine your potted plants to identify any swellings on the roots that aren’t the small, white nodules that they are sometimes known for. If you find one, dig up the plant and check it for bumps or damage.
- If the aphids that your arable crops are infested with spread a bean mosaic virus, plant resistant varieties may solve the problem. Watch out for the common bean beetles as well. You’re going to need to take them a jar of soapy water so that you can knock them unconscious.
- Black eye peas grow efficiently in both very warm and freezing environments. They require well-drained soil in order to be at their best.
- Plants are irrigated frequently, especially once they begin to blossom. Allow the soil to dry between waterings, but do not leave the soil parched for long. When the dirt feels dry two to three inches below the surface, it is time to water it.
- Well-draining soil is recommended with composition of slightly acidic to neutral pH (5.8 to 7.0). Adding organic matter before planting will facilitate both fertility and drainage.
Precautions
Nematodes cause black-eyed peas frequently to fail. You don’t have to watch for them until you begin to see signs of wilting or wilting leafs. Dig a nodule out and check for swellings or lumps. Unfortunately, there’s no cure for this particular situation, so the plant will need to be gotten rid of, especially if you notice the swellings contain whitish, nitrogen lumps.
Conclusion
Peas are healthy nutritive greens no matter what types they are, they own almost equally important nutritional components. A fact is all their types are easy to grow and maintain even at homes.
