cowpea's

[majorcatfish]

dw and i were talking about cowpea's and how delicious they are fresh... told dw the gardens are full as is and i was not turning any new ground except for maybe muscadines.<don't go there @thistlebloom >
have a couple questions, for possible planting next year.......

they are wonderful fresh... how do they hold up being frozen?
are they a crop that produces or do you need to plant masive amounts to make it worth your while ?
trellis or not to trellis ?

need some helpful input on them.....

 

[thistlebloom]

I don't know nuthin 'bout cowpeas. I just wanted to say that I feel cheated because I didn't get the joke.

Hey, maybe you need to send me a new pea!

 

[Ridgerunner]

They should do well in your area. I grow and freeze purple hull peas. I blanche them and put them in vacuum packs. They hold up well.

There are many different varieties, some bush and some pole. The purple hulls are a bush type, they grow pretty big but do not need a trellis. Some need a trellis. If you plant a ten foot row of purple hulls you should have plenty to eat on. Then judge for your self how much you need to plant to eat and freeze.

 

[majorcatfish]

been sitting here googling them and found this site, nice selection...

https://www.southernexposure.com/vegetables-southern-peas-cowpeas-c-3_121.html

figure have a good year to here everyones input.....
thank you @Ridgerunner

 

[PhilaGardener]

Hi majorcatfish Glad to send you some "21 pea" crowder cowpeas to try if you PM me your address. They are a pole variety with pods that turn purple when the seeds are ready to pick (so easy peasy) and quite productive for me. You won't go wrong with Southern Exposure's varieties either!

 

[seedcorn]

Why not eat what you want fresh, dry what you don't eat fresh?

Unless you are thinking pick them young before seeds set.

 

[PhilaGardener]

When I have more later this year, I will try freezing them. For January, of course

 

[baymule]

Major, Major, Major......... Cowpeas....... you know down south we don't say COWpeas.....we just say PEAS.

I have frozen PEAS for many years. Blanched and frozen in food saver bags, they keep well and taste fresh. I have also canned them, they are still good, but frozen tastes fresher.

 

[journey11]

I've not grown any cowpeas, but I buy them dry in bulk and can them up. We eat tons of them. Are they a really productive plant?

 

[PhilaGardener]

I think they can be as productive as beans, and you are closer to their historical range. Last year was my first try on these and despite a wet start (which caused a lot of my legumes to rot in the ground) I got several meals and seed from this variety once it got going. It is on my grow list again for this year.