Austrian Winter Peas: Edible Or Not?

Austrian winter peas, also known as field peas, have been cultivated for centuries as a valuable source of nutrition for humans and animals. They are a cool-season legume related to the familiar garden pea and are often planted as a cover crop or by home gardeners. They are a good source of vitamins A and C, folate, and fibre. The peas are tasty in salads or stir-fries, while the shoots can be eaten raw or cooked.

Austrian winter peas are a valuable source of nutrition for humans and livestock

Austrian winter peas, also known as field peas, have been cultivated around the world for centuries as a valuable source of nutrition for humans and livestock. They are a cool-season legume related to the familiar garden pea and are grown in a similar way.

Austrian winter peas are a good source of vitamins A and C, folate, and fibre. The shoots, leaves, blossoms, and pods can be eaten raw in salads, stir-fried, or cooked. The shoots have a flavour similar to sugar snap peas and can be harvested multiple times from the same plant. The leaves can be cooked and seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon or lime juice, or added to stir-fries. The peas themselves are better dried and made into soups than eaten fresh.

Austrian winter peas are also grown as a cover crop to add nitrogen to the soil and are often planted with other seeds such as oilseed radishes or clover. They are a good option for home gardeners and backyard chicken farmers, as well as for hunters looking to attract wildlife such as deer, quail, doves, and wild turkeys.

They are often planted as a cover crop

Austrian winter peas, also known as field peas, have been grown around the world for centuries. They are often planted as a cover crop by agricultural farmers, home gardeners, and backyard chicken farmers. They are also grown by game hunters to attract wildlife such as deer, quail, doves, and wild turkeys.

Austrian winter peas are a cool-season legume related to the familiar garden pea. The vine plants reach lengths of 2 to 4 feet and bear pink, purple, or white blooms in the spring. They perform well in nearly any type of well-drained soil but require consistent moisture. They are winter hardy in USDA zones 6 and above. Seeds are typically planted in the autumn, after the hottest days of summer have passed.

When used as a cover crop, Austrian winter peas are often planted with a mixture of seeds such as oilseed radishes or various types of clover. They can also be planted with longer-rooted winter grains such as wheat, oats, or rye to help reduce damage from frost heaving. This practice will also make it easier to remove the cover crop in the spring.

Austrian winter peas are an excellent choice for a cover crop because they add nitrogen to the soil. Peas are legumes, which means they fix nitrogen in the soil, promoting rapid growth and plant health. They also support beneficial soil fungi, which help plant roots take up essential nutrients. In addition, Austrian winter peas provide flowers for nectar and beauty, and they are easy to manage and remove in the spring.

Overall, Austrian winter peas make a great cover crop for farmers, gardeners, and hunters alike. They are easy to grow, cold-hardy, and provide many benefits to the soil and surrounding wildlife.

They are cold-hardy and can be grown in many climates

Austrian winter peas are incredibly cold-hardy and can be grown in many climates. They can even be grown indoors, in seedling flats, and are a great option if you don't have access to outdoor space or if the weather is too hot or cold for outdoor gardening. They are a cool-season legume related to the familiar garden pea and are grown around the world, primarily as a valuable source of nutrition for humans and livestock. They are native to Eurasia and perform well in nearly any type of well-drained soil.

However, Austrian winter peas need consistent moisture and don't fare well in arid climates with less than 20 inches of rainfall per year. They are winter hardy in USDA zones 6 and above and are typically planted in autumn, after the hottest days of summer have passed. The vines may do well in colder climates if protected by snow cover; otherwise, they are likely to freeze. If this is a concern, you can plant Austrian winter peas as an annual in early spring. They are also suitable for growing in containers, provided the containers have a minimum size of two gallons and a depth of 12 inches.

Austrian winter peas have shallow roots, which can be advantageous as they don't deplete deep soil moisture. However, their shallow roots also make them susceptible to frost heaving, which can damage their roots if winter temperatures fluctuate. To mitigate this issue, you can intersperse winter peas with longer-rooted winter grains such as wheat, oats, or rye.

In terms of sunlight requirements, Austrian winter peas grow best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. They need full sun to properly develop flowers and set fruit. Regarding temperature, they stop growing at temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and seeds should be planted after the ground has thawed. Young plants have some frost resistance, and the plants themselves are more resistant to freezing than their blossoms or pods.

Austrian winter peas are highly adaptable and can be grown in various climates, making them a versatile and nutritious crop for gardeners, farmers, and livestock owners alike.

They are easy to grow and come up fast

Austrian winter peas are easy to grow and come up fast. They are incredibly cold-hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about 10°F (-12°C) uncovered. They can be grown in many climates and are particularly resistant to cold temperatures. They perform well in nearly any type of well-drained soil and can tolerate a range of soil textures as long as there is good drainage and a pH range of six to eight. They can be grown in containers of a minimum size of two gallons and a depth of 12 inches.

Austrian winter peas are also very fast-growing. They are often planted as a cover crop by home gardeners or backyard chicken farmers. They are a cool-season legume related to the familiar garden pea. The vine plants, which can reach lengths of 2 to 4 feet, bear pink, purple, or white blooms in spring.

To grow Austrian winter peas, you should plant the seeds in well-prepared soil at a rate of 2 1/2 to 3 pounds for every 1,000 square feet. Cover the seeds with 1 to 3 inches of soil. Seeds are typically planted in autumn, after the hottest days of summer have passed. The vines may do well in colder climates if they are protected by snow cover; otherwise, they are likely to freeze. If this is a concern, you can plant Austrian winter peas as an annual in early spring.

Austrian winter peas are easy to manage. They kick into high gear as soon as temperatures move into the 40s and 50s in early spring. After becoming established, the vines twine together as they grow, providing excellent weed suppression and lots of biomass. They are also easy to remove in spring.

They can be grown indoors

Austrian winter peas are a cool-season legume related to the familiar garden pea. They are often grown as a cover crop, but they are also edible and can be grown indoors.

Austrian winter peas are incredibly cold-hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about 10°F (-12°C). They are also very fast-growing and produce abundant quantities of large, juicy growth tips. These features explain why Austrian winter peas are often used by farmers as a nitrogen-accumulating cover crop and by hunters to attract deer to certain spots.

If you want to grow Austrian winter peas indoors, you will need to assess your indoor lighting situation. If you have a sunny, south-facing window that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight, you can probably grow pea greens in front of the window. Just keep in mind that peas like cool temperatures (sustained temperatures above 75°F is too hot), so you'll need to make sure the pea flats don't get too hot. You can do this by moving the flats further away from the window and/or "watering" them with ice cubes daily.

Modern energy-efficient windows filter out a lot of the light spectrum needed to grow healthy plants. Even if a spot in your house gets blasted with sunlight all day, your energy-efficient windows/window coatings may filter out too much of the full light spectrum to grow healthy pea plants indoors. In this case, you may need to use a grow light system.

To grow Austrian winter peas indoors, you will need:

• Heavy-duty, BPA-free seedling trays
• Seedling tray mesh inserts
• Austrian Winter pea seeds
• Organic potting soil

• Place your plastic mesh inserts into each seed tray where you intend to grow pea greens.
• Fill each tray with pre-dampened potting soil up to about 3/4" below the lip.
• Densely place pea seeds on the surface of the soil.
• Cover the pea seeds with another 1/2" of dampened potting soil.
• Give everything a light hose down to ensure good soil-to-seed contact. It's best to do this outside.
• Over the next 5-7 days, keep the soil mix damp, not wet, to aid in seed germination without causing anaerobic conditions that could cause roots and plants to rot.
• You should see pea shoots start to sprout through the soil surface in about 7-10 days, so long as your indoor temperatures are around the standard 65-72°F. Keep your grow lights about 2-3" overhead, and adjust them as needed as your peas grow.
• Once the pea seeds have germinated, immediately move the flats under your grow lights or in front of a sunny window. Continue to water as needed to ensure the soil stays slightly damp, not wet, as the pea plants grow.
• Harvest your pea greens! You can get multiple harvests off of the same plants. To harvest, hold a bunch in one hand and cut with scissors using the other hand. Leave about 2-3" of growth behind to allow the plants to regrow.

Frequently asked questions