Nitrogen Fixing Cover Crop: Winter Peas
Pisum sativum subsp. arvense
Winter peas, also known as “field peas”, are a cool-season annual legume showing good nitrogen fixing properties. Winter peas are low growing, viny, and have been shown to fix over 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year. The plants have 2 to 4 foot long, thin, hollow, stems and purple or reddish-pink flowers. As their name would suggest, winter peas have great winter hardiness and can be successfully grown in the grain belt states of the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic states, and the Great Plains and inter-mountain regions of the west.
Planting Instructions:
Monoculture | In Mixes | Seeding Rate: | 50 lbs/acre drilled 70 lbs/acre broadcast | 25-30 lbs/acre drilled
35-40 lbs/acre broadcast |
|---|---|---|
Planting Depth: | 1/2 to 1 inch: If broadcast, the soil should be tilled lightly to cover the seed. | |
Ideal Soil: | Prefers well-drained soils within a pH range of 6.3-7.0 |