pigeon peas

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by jayjay, Oct 17, 2009.

  1. jayjay

    jayjay Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2009
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Does anyone out there grow pigeon peas? If so is there a knack to getting them to germinate. I have tried planting them straight up and also planted some that I had soaked overnight but no luck with either. I have them in a mini hothouse but I'm thinking maybe that it is too cold. I live in Central Vic and usually it is hot at this time of the year but we are in the middle of an "Arctic Freeze"...mmm I wonder if it could be due to climate change....anyway I really want to grow some and suspect that they require a fairly long growing season so need to get some germinated soon. Any suggestions?
     
  2. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Messages:
    2,922
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: pigeon peas

    G'day jayjay

    Concerning pigeon pea germination:

    The following might provide you with some tips:

    https://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/pigeon-pea.html

    https://www.greenharvest.com.au/seeds/in ... n_pea.html

    Concerning the current cool conditions:

    Maybe the current cool weather conditions we are experiencing (and which are probably responsible for your peas being slow to germinate) are a result of climate change factors, who knows?

    However what I am sure of is that give it a couple of months and we (including our gardens) will be wishing for a return to cooler weather.

    Seriously, I am currently reading the following and have found them to be two very authortative tomes on the subject of climate change science, and probably what is more important, how we can best respond:

    https://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/6010.htm

    https://www.unswpress.com.au/isbn/9781742230184.htm

    Cheerio, Marko.
     
  3. permasculptor

    permasculptor Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2007
    Messages:
    727
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Re: pigeon peas

    jay jay im certainly no expert ,especially as far as raising seeds is concerned but I think that it probably is temperature related as I find them easy to germinate, as the weather warms up and being further north than you have had recent success.I,ve got heaps of mature plants seeding so if you need more seed pm me ill send some.It is a great plant to grow. (the offer applies to anyone else who needs some).
     
  4. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2005
    Messages:
    1,590
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: pigeon peas

    Jay,

    Toss a few seeds in a pot and put them on your window sill see that the seeds are viable.

    A few things I would look at. Dig up and find any planted seeds - something may have got them first.
    Slugs, snails, birds, animals all love germinated legumes so they need protection for the first few weeks.

    Keep trying this is a remarkable addition to the large permaculture garden. Anyone who has gardened/grown for a while soon works out that there are plants that either 'dont like your or dont like your garden'. It is a funny phenomenon but with a bit of persistence you normally find that you can establish the plant and then you look back and wonder what was so hard.

    I have always grown PP from seed both direct and transplant. I have a few now in a new spot, maybe 6 out of 10 seeds. I planted them for a whole bag of reasons and YES pigeons do love the seed.

    cheers,
    ho-hum
     
  5. ppp

    ppp Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2007
    Messages:
    550
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: pigeon peas

    I was suprised to hear a friend from brisbane, didn't have any success with the pigeon pea I gave him. I think it was too cool or too dry or both(it was about 2 months ago). I've told my friend to give it another go, and I'd suggest the same.
     
  6. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2009
    Messages:
    5,925
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: pigeon peas

    Would the seeds benefit from scarification? I have hit and miss luck with pigeon pea - and was going to try scarifying them next time.
     
  7. ppp

    ppp Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2007
    Messages:
    550
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: pigeon peas

    no idea!? I've always had no problems getting germination by just putting them in the ground
     
  8. Mudman

    Mudman Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2003
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Re: pigeon peas

    Here in Brisbane they grow like weeds.
    We just throw them round the garden and they sprout, grow to about 3m in a year if we don't keep cropping them.
    Probably too cold for them, heaps of seads on our plants now. We have teh yellow and red varieties
    In spring last year we put them in small pots with potting mix, kept them moist and about 90% germinated.
    Good Luck with it all
    Kurt
     
  9. jayjay

    jayjay Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2009
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: pigeon peas

    Good news. The weather has been hot, hot, hot lately and my pigeon peas have finally germinated so the temperature was obviously the problem. Hopefully now we will have a long enough growing season to reap some rewards, and of course enough water, always a problem in our drought zone!
    Thanks everyone for your advice.
     
  10. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2005
    Messages:
    1,590
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: pigeon peas

    Jayjay,

    I have a lot of water and have and have not irrigated Pigeon Pea. To be honest, I cant remember there being much of a difference. They are a brilliant PIONEER plants.. So once you work out what they need in your area to get going - this is the sort of plant that can not only be used as a sacrificial pioneer but they have great slave qualities.

    Even in your area consider this. Plant and establish the pigeon pea in a furrow or trough. Water if you can and then in winter you can bust off, rip out, even ignore the stump/sticks and use them as compost or microclimate barriers for next spring's vegie/tree plantings. They have a taproot type root system that will rot down quickly. Next season, intersperse your tree plantings with pigeon pea again. I dont think pigeon pea will survive any sort of winter where you are but even as an annual it is worth planting.

    In an orchard situation my wife's horses used to chomp on a bit of pigeon pea [I live tropical] and it was never extensive. When I first planted pigeon pea it was as a crop/food source. Since then, 18 years ago, I use it for many other things and realise its real value isnt in the 'pea'. For me it is in its size, foliage, leguminous habits, screen, shade, chop and drop and feed ability but most of all I use it as a 'mineral pump'. One of the big upsides for me with PP is the dead sticks, they make great markers for edges and individual plants and I like to burn them as an ash bed. I find it to be one of those 'free' permie plants that once established it looks after itself and produces a lot of benefits.

    Other 'free' plants I use are vetiver, lemon grass, basil, hibiscus, mulberry, sweet potato, stylo, eurochloa, yams and beans, grapes, pawpaw, cassava, passionfruit, eggplant, capsicum, banana, marigolds, moringa, coriander, neem, albizia, guava, tamarind and sugar cane. All of these plants produce multiple benefits to me in my situation. For example, lemongrass produces for me a weed barrier, soil amendment, WORM HABITAT, mulch, visual stimuli, and the very occasional fresh cooking herb.

    I wish I could admit to being successful with choko - but that is a tale of woe. I LIKE CHOKOS but they hate me!!!

    These plants all produce for me beyond 'their fruit/seed' benefit.. I will also admit to having a number of plants in my garden that produce just joy - well it does for my wife. I look at these 'things' and ponder...

    Maybe we should start thread of 'free' permie plants that can be grown in the different climates of our countries. I have listed those I can think of for the dry hot tropics. For those of you that 'google' everything, I would love to toss leucena and kudzu into this mix but I am a poor weeder and a wimp.



    cheers,
     
  11. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2006
    Messages:
    4,771
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: pigeon peas

    Arhhh Caught out!
    Maybe we need a "True confessions" thread?
     
  12. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2009
    Messages:
    2,457
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Occupation:
    Farm manager/ educator
    Location:
    Hunter Valley New South Wales
    Home Page:
    Climate:
    warm temperate - some frost - changing every year
    Re: pigeon peas

    We used pigeon pea as a cover crop ahead of citrus to shade out Kikuyu at the Dungog Community Garden they worked fabulously on all levels
    little kik - lots a mulch and nitrogen fixed to soil. Frost did get them in the end. But they did the job
    regards
     
  13. Grahame

    Grahame Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2008
    Messages:
    2,215
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    36
    First frost this year killed all my pigeon peas. Some of them got to a reasonable size, started to set flower but didn't get a chance to set seed. Probably only worth growing as a nitrogen fixing annual here I guess.
     

Share This Page

-->