Overview

Well, we already know that I’m not about to do a review of the popular hip/hop-pop group Black Eyed Peas who rose to popularity in the early 2000’s. Instead, we are going to take a look at the wildly popular legume that is grown all around the world for its edible beans. In fact, they have been around for thousands of years and most likely served as an ancient food source during the Neolithic times.

The plants have a bean-like appearance, sometimes bushy and often vining or semi-vining. Their green leaves are trifoliate, round and pointed, and glossy-smooth. The pods are long, slender, and pointed, and come in various colors ranging including yellow, green, purple, and black. The seeds are rounded and the coat is white to tan with a dark spot, known as the “eye,” which can range from black, green, pink, and purple. Common names for this plant include black-eyed pea, Crowder pea, and cowpea.

While there’s not much to growing these legumes, there is a lot to talk about when it comes to the cultural traditions that surround them, but that’s for another post. For now, let’s talk about growing them in Zone 9b and beyond!

Zone 9b Florida

North East Florida has heavy rains, humid summers, and pests leaving one to wonder, how can I be successful? Choosing the right crops, varieties, and planting season can make an extraordinary difference in your vegetable garden. So what types of black-eyed peas are best suited for Florida? When choosing a variety, you can consider the plant growth habit, seed and seed eye color, and seed spacing in the pods. Here are some varieties that are recommended for Florida:

• Black-eye No. 5: Recommended for North Florida
• Pinkeye Purple Hull: Similar to black-eyed peas, but with pink eyes that turn dark maroon or purple when dry
• California Blackeye: The common commercial variety, which is pale with a prominent black spot

While I do not have plans to plant black-eyed peas in this year’s summer garden I will be looking into the varieties above for next year and report back to you all about the results!

Care and Planting

Cowpea plants do best when soil temperatures are at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit and are a fairly fast-growing crop. They do not tolerate colder temperatures making them perfect for planting during Florida’s summer season.

You can direct plant seeds into the garden from March through August. The most recent information says that most beans, including Cowpeas, do not transplant well. While I have not tried to start beans of any kind in seed trays, I have seen this being done successfully by other gardeners. Drop a comment below if you have tried transplanting Cowpeas or any other type of bean and what made you decide to use that method.

Harvesting

The beans are ready to harvest in about 11-14 weeks. Make sure that you harvest continuously to encourage more flowering and pod production.

While I didn’t plant black-eyed peas this year, I will be taking a look at the varieties listed in the post above for next year’s summer season! Be sure to follow along as I provide updates about my summer season garden.