Pigeon Pea Seeds, Free Shipping, Cajanus cajun

Description

Pigeon peas, or Cajanus cajun, are a short-lived flowering perennial that thrives in the tropics and subtropics. Pigeon peas are a beautiful, fragranced addition to any Southern garden. These lovely bushes are short-lived perennials in zones 9 through 11, and flourish in hot, humid climates. Growing pigeon peas is easy and rewarding.

Pigeon Pea Benefits

• Fast-growing, semi-perennial offers up to 5 years of food production
• Fixes nitrogen with long tap roots
• Provides nutritious fodder for animals
• Excellent crop-and-drop plant and compost booster
• Provides prolific yellow and red flowers that bees adore.

Planting Pigeon Pea Seeds

Here are some general planting instructions for pigeon pea seeds:

1. Climate and soil: Pigeon pea thrives in hot, tropical and subtropical climates. It prefers well-drained soils with a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5.
2. Seed treatment: Soak the seeds in water for 12 to 24 hours to help soften the seed coat and promote germination.
3. Plant pigeon pea seeds between February and May for best results. Since they are short lived perennials, you can plant them any time of year. However, you probably won’t get a winter harvest if you plant them too late.
4. Spacing: Plant 3 pigeon pea seeds in prepared low mounds about 18 – 24″ apart. Remember that they get 8-10 feet tall and about 3 feet wide, so make sure you give them enough room.
5. Planting depth: Plant the seeds about 1 cm deep.
6. Starting indoors: While you can sow pigeon pea seeds indoors, I don’t recommend it at all. Pigeon peas develop deep tap roots and the plants will suffer quite quickly after germination if they’re not planted out immediately. It’s best to sow them directly.
7. Watering: Water the seeds immediately after planting, and then regularly to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. After seedlings are established and about 1 to 2 feet tall, they’re more drought tolerant.
8. Fertilizer: Apply a layer of compost over seeds after they have been sown. Refresh the layer once they bloom and then twice a year when they start growing again in spring and when they start to bloom.
9. Weed control: Remove weeds around the plants regularly to avoid competition for nutrients and water. Mulching around the root zone can help retain moisture.
10. Pest and disease control: Pigeon peas are highly resistant to fungal disease and don’t normally suffer many pests. In fact, the blooms are highly attractive to bees and some wasps. Because they are easy to grow, I recommend refraining from treating with any pesticides whatsoever to prevent killing off beneficial insects.