When is the latest planting time for cowpeas?
Cowpea, commonly known as black-eyed pea, ginger pea, banded bean, and hanging bean pod. Cowpea is divided into two types, long cowpea and rice cowpea, and belongs to the legume family. Because cowpea does not have strict requirements for the growing environment, it can be planted in spring, summer, and autumn. Below, the editor will introduce the planting time of cowpea to everyone!
Planting time of cowpea
According to different planting times, cowpea is divided into spring cowpea, summer cowpea, and autumn cowpea. Let us look at their planting times separately below!
1. Spring cowpea is generally raised as seedlings from late February to late March, transplanted from late March to late April, harvested from early June to mid-August, and seed-collected from late July to early August.
2. Summer cowpea is sown in the Yellow River Basin from April 20 to June 30, in the Yangtze River Basin from mid-April to early July, in northern Guangxi from early April to early August, in Zhejiang and Fujian it is sown in spring and summer, and in the Leizhou Peninsula it is sown in spring.
3. Autumn cowpea should be sown from August to September. Direct sowing is suitable as the sowing method. Plant at a reasonable density, with 1.25-1.5 kg used per mu, a row spacing of 50-60 cm and a plant spacing of 8-10 cm, planted in double rows, with two seeds sown per hole.
Growing environment of cowpea
Cowpea requires high temperatures and has strong heat tolerance. Its suitable growth temperature is 20-25°C. In summer, it can still form pods normally at high temperatures above 35°C and does not drop flowers, but it is not tolerant of frost. Under prolonged low temperatures below 10°C, growth is inhibited. Cowpea is a short-day crop, but long cowpea grown as a vegetable mostly belongs to the neutral-light type and is not very strict about sunlight requirements. Varieties such as Red-mouth Swallow and Zhi Jiang 28-2 can be cultivated in spring, summer, and autumn in the south.
Cowpea has wide adaptability to soil. As long as the field has good drainage and loose soil, it can be planted. The pods are tender, and sufficient fertilizer and water are required during the pod-setting period.
Cowpea is a climbing plant, so when the seedlings grow to more than 30 cm, a trellis about 2 m high needs to be set up in time. The materials usually used are reeds, thin bamboo poles, thin wooden sticks, and so on. The tips of its top branches have a twining and climbing habit and will climb upward on their own.
Seeing this, I believe you should have a certain understanding of the planting time and growing environment of cowpea. Taking this opportunity, the editor will briefly introduce the planting techniques of cowpea to everyone!