What Are Austrian Winter Peas A Guide To Growing Austrian Winter Peas

What are Austrian winter peas? Also known as field peas, Austrian winter peas (Pisum sativum) have been grown around the world for centuries, primarily as a valuable source of nutrition for humans and livestock. Don't confuse Austrian winter peas with cowpeas, which are also known as field peas in the southern states.

Can humans eat Austrian winter peas?
How tall do Austrian winter peas get?
How long do winter peas take to grow?
How do you grow winter peas?
Can you plant Austrian winter peas in spring?
Do deer like Austrian winter peas?
What are Austrian winter peas used for?
How do you eat Austrian winter peas?
How deep do you plant Austrian winter peas?
What is the best fertilizer for winter peas?
What month do you plant peas?
How much frost can peas tolerate?

Can humans eat Austrian winter peas?

Yes, Austrian winter pea pods are edible and tasty too, but not as good as sweet pea varieties bred specifically for their raw pods. ... They tend to get stringy quickly so pick them young for fresh eating or let them mature until the pods begin to turn tan in color to harvest as a dry soup pea.

How tall do Austrian winter peas get?

Winter pea is considered a cool-season annual legume, although it can be successfully grown in the spring/summer in cooler regions. It is a low-growing, viney plant that can reach 2- to 4-feet tall, depending on soil fertility and management.

How long do winter peas take to grow?

Temperature. Peas will sprout in 21 to 30 days if the soil temperature is 38 degrees Fahrenheit and the germination rate, or number of seeds that do sprout, will be low.

How do you grow winter peas?

Winter Peas Growing Guide

Legumes (Pea and Bean family) ●
Any average, well drained soil.
Full sun.
A cool-season annual, winter field peas (Austrian peas), can tolerate heavy frost but are killed by temperatures below -17 to -23C (0 to -10F).

Can you plant Austrian winter peas in spring?

If this is a concern, you can plant Austrian winter peas as an annual in early spring. Look for inoculated seeds, as inoculants convert nitrogen in the atmosphere into usable form, a process known as “fixing” nitrogen, and will also promote vigorous, healthy growth.

Do deer like Austrian winter peas?

Austrian winter peas are a cool-season annual legume that can produce a great food plot on their own or as an addition to a seed mixture planted in the fall to attract deer. ... Winter peas are highly nutritious and extremely digestible to deer. They carry a protein level between 20 and 30 percent.

What are Austrian winter peas used for?

Currently, winter peas are produced on approximately 38,000 ac in the U.S. (source: USDA-NASS; see www. nass.usda.gov) and are used for cover crops, grazing, feed, and wildlife food plots.

How do you eat Austrian winter peas?

Super-cold-hardy Austrian winter peas will give you delicious green winter salads and build your soil as a nitrogen-boosting winter cover crop. You can enjoy fresh pea shoots in salads throughout winter, all the way into asparagus season. Even in midwinter, Austrian winter peas stay green and healthy, ready to harvest.

How deep do you plant Austrian winter peas?

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.

What is the best fertilizer for winter peas?

Add 200 #'s/acre of 10-20-20 or 19-19-19 or equivalent fertilizer. However, 19-19-19 is a better fertilizer for More Wildlife: Winter Peas & Radish Mix. Fertilizer and seed should be done consecutive.

What month do you plant peas?

The key to growing peas is to plant them early enough in spring so they mature while the weather is still cool. This means planting in February, March, or April in most parts of the United States and Canada.

How much frost can peas tolerate?

Peas have excellent frost tolerance because the plant's growing points remain underground during the seedling stage, between the seed and the soil surface. Very hardy varieties of peas can survive temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit with snow cover protection.