🍽 Overview
Crop: Black-eyed Peas (also called Cowpeas)
Common Varieties in OK: ‘California Blackeye #5’, ‘Queen Anne’, ‘Texas Cream 40’
Planting Season: Late spring to early summer (May–June) after soil warms to 65–70°F
Days to Maturity: 60–90 days depending on variety
🎨 Trait Legend
Trait Symbol Meaning
🟨 Warm-season Thrives in heat and full sun
🫘 Legume crop Produces edible pods and nitrogen-fixing roots
🟩 Full sun Needs 6–8 hours of sun per day
💧⬇️ Drought-tolerant Handles dry spells better than most garden crops
📏 Spacing & Soil
Row Spacing: 24–36 inches
Plant Spacing: 3–6 inches
Soil Needs: Well-drained, slightly sandy soil; pH 6.0–7.5
Fertilizer: Minimal — they fix their own nitrogen; compost at planting is plenty
🌱 Cultivars We Recommend
‘California Blackeye #5’ 🟨🫘💧⬇️
Classic southern staple. Excellent dried or fresh shell.
‘Queen Anne’ 🟨🫘💧⬇️
Cream-type with small eye. Mild and buttery taste.
‘Texas Cream 40’ 🟨🫘💧⬇️
Early maturing. Compact plants with strong yields.
🧠 Tips
Wait to plant until soil is good and warm — they hate cold feet
Can be grown as bush or semi-vining depending on variety
Harvest young pods for snap peas, or let dry fully for storage peas
Great for soil improvement in rotation due to nitrogen fixing
Avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer — they’ll grow all leaf and no bean