Gone are the days of only growing green vegetables in our gardens. These days plants can be found in many different colors. We have already tried growing indigo rose tomatoes, purple cauliflower and purple sun carrots in ours. This coming season, I will be adding to the list and will initially try to grow these purple hull peas.

After doing a little research, I found out that not only really peas but more like beans, they are also originally from Africa. There are a few varieties you can choose from which are either from the vining, semi vining or bush groups. Pink Eye are from the vining category which require trellises or some type of support. California Pink Eye and Coronet from the semi-vining category are less resistant to diseases but can be harvested within 60 days. Texas Pink Eye and Knuckle are bush varieties that do not need any support and often have larger peas.

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Here’s What You’ll Need:

purple hull peas seeds
compost
rotted leaves
aged manure
mulch
trellis (optional)

These peas are very easy to grow and require very little maintenance. You can even grow them in the same area that you had your tomatoes in late summer for harvest in early fall before the first frost. The seeds can be planted directly into the garden at least a month after the last frost or six weeks prior, if you are starting them indoors. Work in some compost and manure into the ground before planting. Ideal row spacing is 2 to 3 inches apart at half an inch deep.

Apply some mulch around the seeds, and give your peas a good watering. After the seedlings have 3 to 4 leaves you can thin them out to between 4 to 6 inches apart. The peas will fix their own nitrogen so there is no need to apply additional fertilizer. Depending on the variety, they should be ready for harvest within 55 to 70 days. Remove from the shells immediately after harvest and store fresh in your fridge or freeze them to enjoy them within a few months.

You can get more information on the Gardening Know How blog here…