Austrian Winter Peas: Hardy, Nutritious, And Delicious Superfood

Austrian Winter Peas are a cool-season annual legume with good cold tolerance. They are an excellent source of nitrogen, making them a great cover crop and soil builder. They are also a high-protein hay or forage for livestock and deer. Austrian Winter Peas are purple-flowering plants that can grow to over 5 feet tall and are widely adaptable, although they grow best in well-drained, light-textured loamy soils.

Austrian Winter Peas are a cool-season annual legume with good cold tolerance

Austrian Winter Peas (Pisum sativum) are a cool-season annual legume with good cold tolerance. They are a proven, purple-flowering variety and can be planted in a mix with other species to extend the life of a food plot and minimise the risk of crop failure, overgrazing, and other problems. They are a good source of nitrogen and are easy to kill with herbicides.

Austrian Winter Peas are a widely adapted, low-growing, viney plant that can reach 2-4 feet tall, depending on soil fertility and management. The stems are hollow and slender, and the leaves are fleshy and pale green with toothed margins. The plant also contains branched, slender tendrils on the top. It produces pinkish-purple flowers in the spring, and if plants are not overgrazed, seed production can occur through 2- to 3-inch-long pods that contain several round seeds.

Austrian Winter Peas grow well in a variety of soil types, but the best production occurs in light-textured loamy soils. They are somewhat sensitive to soil pH, so it is important to maintain a pH above 6.0. They should be planted at a depth of 0.5-1 inch, with a seeding rate of 40-50 lbs/acre for broadcast seeding or 30 lbs/acre for drilling. The ideal planting time is from September to November, and they are best planted after the hottest days are normally past, typically in August.

Austrian Winter Peas have numerous agricultural uses due to their nitrogen-fixing ability and are very easy to establish in fall food plots. They are an excellent soil builder and can also be used as high-protein hay or forage for livestock and deer.

They are a high-protein hay or forage for livestock and deer

Austrian winter peas are a cool-season annual legume with good cold tolerance. They are commonly planted and widely adapted, making them a great option for hay or forage. The plant is low-growing and viney, reaching 2-4 feet tall, with hollow stems and fleshy, pale green leaves. It also bears slender tendrils and pinkish-purple flowers in the spring.

Austrian winter peas are an excellent source of high-protein hay or forage for livestock and deer. They are capable of producing large quantities of quality forage, with crude protein in the leaves and stems typically exceeding 25%. This makes them a highly nutritious option for livestock and deer. In addition, their high digestibility, with acid detergent fibre values below 20%, makes them an attractive choice for hay or forage.

The planting process for Austrian winter peas is straightforward. They should be broadcast at a rate of 40-50 lbs/acre or drilled at 30 lbs/acre. The planting depth should be 1/2-3/4 inch, and the best time to plant is from September to November. Austrian winter peas grow well in a variety of soils, particularly well-drained, light-textured loamy soils. Maintaining a neutral pH of above 6.0 is important to maximise nutritional quality.

Austrian winter peas are a great option for livestock and deer due to their high protein content and digestibility. They are easy to establish and can provide a significant amount of quality forage for an extended period. With their adaptability and nutritional benefits, Austrian winter peas are an excellent choice for those seeking high-protein hay or forage options.

They are a good cover crop for producing nitrogen

Austrian winter peas are a cool-season legume that is highly regarded as a cover crop. One of their most beneficial attributes is their ability to produce and fix nitrogen in the soil. This makes them an excellent choice for improving soil health and fertility, especially in agricultural settings.

As a legume, Austrian winter peas have a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia bacteria that form nodules on their roots. These bacteria have the unique ability to convert atmospheric nitrogen, which is abundant but inaccessible to most plants, into a form that plants can use – ammonia. Through this process of biological nitrogen fixation, the peas essentially pull nitrogen out of the air and convert it into a plant-available form.

When grown as a cover crop, Austrian winter peas can provide a significant boost of nitrogen to the soil. This not only benefits the peas themselves but also subsequent crops in the rotation. After the peas are incorporated into the soil, the organic matter they contribute, including the nitrogen-rich nodules, breaks down and releases nitrogen that can be utilized by other plants. This process helps to reduce the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, which can have environmental and economic costs.

In addition to their nitrogen-fixing abilities, Austrian winter peas also offer other benefits as a cover crop. They have a deep taproot that helps improve soil structure and increase water infiltration. The extensive root system also contributes to building organic matter and cycling nutrients, further enhancing soil fertility. Moreover, like other cover crops, Austrian winter peas can help suppress weeds, prevent soil erosion, and provide habitat for beneficial insects and soil microorganisms.

They are easy to establish in fall food plots

Austrian winter peas are a cool-season annual legume that is a high-preference forage for whitetails. They are very easy to establish in fall food plots. They are a low-growing, viney plant that can reach 2-4 feet tall, depending on soil fertility and management.

To establish Austrian winter peas in a fall food plot, you should first conduct a soil test to determine lime and fertilizer needs. Although adding nitrogen (N) fertilizer is not necessary, as the peas produce their own, you should apply phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) at the recommended rates. It is also important to inoculate the peas with strain C, unless using pre-inoculated seeds, to ensure healthy and vigorous plots that can withstand adverse weather conditions and heavy browsing pressure.

Austrian winter peas should be planted in a mixture with other preferred species to extend the life of the food plot and minimize the risk of crop failure, overgrazing, and other problems. They are a great companion to various clover and cereal grain mixtures. When planting, reduce the planting rates of each species according to the number of species used in the mixture. The recommended planting rate for Austrian winter peas is 40-50 lbs/acre, and they should be broadcast into a well-prepared seedbed or drilled with a no-till drill. If broadcasting, be sure to follow up with a light disking to cover the seeds approximately 1 to 2 inches. The ideal planting depth for Austrian winter peas is 0.5-1 inch, and they should be planted in September through October in the Southern United States and in August in the Northern states.

Austrian winter peas are a great choice for fall food plots as they are easy to establish, provide high-quality forage, and are highly attractive to deer. With proper soil preparation and planting techniques, you can successfully grow Austrian winter peas and provide a nutritious food source for deer and other wildlife.

They are an excellent soil builder

Austrian winter peas are an excellent soil builder. They are a cool-season annual legume with good cold tolerance and can be successfully grown in spring and summer in cooler regions. They are a low-growing, viney plant that can reach 2-4 feet tall, depending on soil fertility and management. The stems are hollow and slender, and the leaves are fleshy and pale green with toothed margins.

Austrian winter peas are widely adapted and grow well in a variety of soil types, but they perform best in light-textured, well-drained, loamy soils. They are somewhat sensitive to soil pH, so the pH needs to be maintained above 6.0. Before planting, a soil test should be conducted to determine lime and fertilizer requirements to ensure nutrient levels are in the optimal range.

These peas are an excellent source of nitrogen, producing 60-120#/acre of nitrogen. They generally winter-kill and are easy to terminate with herbicides. They mix well with other plants, such as oilseed radish, and are relatively inexpensive to use as a cover crop. Austrian winter peas should be planted in late summer or early fall, from August to November, to ensure they have sufficient time to grow before the onset of freezing temperatures.

When used as a cover crop, Austrian winter peas improve soil health and fertility. They help protect the soil from erosion during the winter months and can be turned into the soil in the spring to provide additional organic matter and nutrients. This enhances the soil structure, promotes water retention, and encourages the growth of beneficial microorganisms, resulting in improved soil fertility and plant growth.

Frequently asked questions