Southern Pea Seeds - California Blackeye

Minimum Seeds per Packet: 45

Packet Weight: 14g

Planting Season: After Last Frost

Sowing Method: Direct Seed

Seed Depth: 1-2"

Direct Seed Spacing: 2-3"

Soil Temperature: 65-90 ℉

Days to Sprout: 7-14

Mature Spacing: 2-4"

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Frost Tolerance: Frost Sensitive

Days to Harvest: 85

When to Seed Southern Peas

Southern peas are a heat loving legume that thrive in southern gardens and should be planted after all danger of frost has passed. 

Where to Plant Southern Peas

Choose an area with full sun. Southern peas truly thrive in the hottest parts of the summer, so they are a great choice to plant after some of your spring crops have finished. They’re very tolerant of poor soils, however, will prefer loamy soils. They won’t need vast amounts of nutrients, but a light application of fertilizer ahead of planting can help them produce a better crop. If your soil is too high in nitrogen, you’ll end up with abundant foliage but a minimal amount of pods. 

Growing Southern Peas

Sow seeds one to two inches deep and two to three inches apart, in rows that are 12 to 24 inches apart. As your seeds germinate and grow, if it’s necessary, thin your seedlings to two to four inches apart. Southern peas have both bush and pole types, just like traditional garden beans. However, unlike pole beans, you can grow southern peas that run without a trellis, by planting them close together and allowing the plants to self-support. However, this really works best for plantings where you will let the peas dry on the plants for winter storage. 

Harvesting Southern Peas

You can grow southern peas either for fresh eating, or dried peas. For fresh eating, harvest as they mature and the peas become fully formed within the pods. The more you harvest, the more will be produced. For dried peas, allow the pods to fully mature and dry on the plant. Plan your plantings to leave at least four weeks for the peas to dry on the plant. After you separate your peas from the dry pods, spread your peas out to continue drying for at least two more weeks. 

Southern Peas, Vigna unguiculata

Pollination, insect; Life Cycle, annual; Isolation Distance, 20 feet

Southern peas are self-pollinating with perfect flowers. They can cross-pollinate, although it is rare as the flowers are only receptive to pollen for a very short time. To be safe, maintain a distance of 20 feet between variety rows. Leave the pods to dry on the plant, and when you've waited until the majority of pods, if not all, are dry, gently pull out the whole plant. The pods can be delicate and may shatter, so putting the plants directly on a tarp is a good idea. Allow plants to continue to dry out completely in a dry and shady place. Winnow seeds from chaff.