Field Pea Green Manure Seeds

Field Pea Green Manure Seeds

Botanical Name: Pisum sativum

Field Pea is a fast-growing cool-season annual legume used for green manure, nitrogen fixation, cover cropping, weed suppression, soil protection and organic matter production. It produces leafy growth and a useful root system that helps improve soil structure while supporting healthier future crops.

As a nitrogen-fixing legume, Field Pea can improve soil fertility when compatible rhizobia are present. It is commonly grown in vegetable gardens, orchards, vineyards, market gardens, paddocks and regenerative farming systems as a winter or early spring soil-building crop.

• Fast-growing cool-season legume green manure and cover crop.
• Fixes nitrogen when grown with suitable pea/vetch inoculant.
• Produces leafy biomass to add organic matter and improve soil fertility.
• Helps suppress weeds, protect bare soil and reduce erosion.
• Useful in vegetable gardens, orchards, vineyards, paddocks and market gardens.
• Can be grown alone or mixed with oats, barley, rye or other cover crops.
• Best suited to cool, temperate, Mediterranean and mild subtropical climates.

Plant Details

• Plant Type: Cool-season annual legume
• Botanical Name: Pisum sativum
• Common Name: Field Pea
• Growth Habit: Upright to semi-vining annual legume
• Growth Height: Approximately 40–100 cm depending on variety, support and conditions
• Root System: Legume root system with nitrogen-fixing potential
• Frost Tolerance: Moderate once established
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate once established; performs best with reliable moisture
• Best Position: Full sun to light shade

Best Uses

• Green manure crop
• Cool-season cover crop
• Nitrogen fixation
• Organic matter production
• Weed suppression and soil cover
• Vegetable garden rotations
• Orchard and vineyard inter-rows
• Market garden and broadacre soil improvement
• Mixed cover crop blends with cereal grains

Sowing Information

• Best Sowing Time: Autumn to early spring in most suitable regions
• Germination Time: 7–14 days in suitable conditions
• Sowing Depth: 2–4 cm
• Position: Full sun to light shade
• Soil Type: Prefers well-drained soil; suitable for loams, clay loams and fertile garden soils
• Soil pH: Performs best around pH 6.0–7.5
• Watering: Keep moist during germination and establishment
• Sow Where: Garden beds, orchards, vineyards, paddocks, fallow blocks and crop rotations
• Inoculation: For strongest nitrogen fixation, use a suitable pea/vetch inoculant where available.

Sowing Rate and Coverage

Seed Quantity Guide

Coverage is a guide only. Use higher sowing rates for faster cover, stronger weed suppression, poor seedbeds, exposed sites or areas with bird pressure.

When to Sow Field Peas in Australia

How to Sow Field Pea Green Manure Seeds

1. Choose a sunny to lightly shaded position with prepared soil.
2. Remove weeds and create a firm seedbed.
3. Broadcast seed evenly or sow in rows 15–30 cm apart.
4. Cover seed with approximately 2–4 cm of soil.
5. Press or roll lightly for good seed-to-soil contact.
6. Water after sowing if soil moisture is low.
7. Use suitable pea/vetch inoculant where nitrogen fixation is a priority.

Management

• Keep soil moist during germination and establishment.
• Allow plants to produce strong leafy growth before cutting.
• Cut before heavy seed set if volunteer plants are not wanted.
• For green manure, incorporate while stems are still soft and leafy.
• Can be slashed, dug in or used as chop-and-drop mulch.
• Mix with oats, barley or rye for extra structure, support and biomass.

Harvest and Incorporation

For green manure use, cut or slash Field Peas before heavy flowering or seed set. Incorporate the chopped material into the soil 2–4 weeks before planting the next crop, or leave it on the surface as mulch in no-dig systems. Cutting while plants are leafy and soft helps residues break down more quickly.

Soil Benefits and Use

Field Peas help improve soil by supporting nitrogen fixation, producing leafy biomass, adding organic matter, suppressing weeds and protecting bare ground. They are especially useful in vegetable garden rotations, orchards, vineyards, paddocks, market gardens and regenerative farming systems where a cool-season soil-building crop is needed.

Important Notes

• Field Pea is a cool-season legume and performs best in mild to cool conditions.
• Nitrogen fixation is strongest when compatible rhizobia are present in the soil or applied as inoculant.
• Cut before seed set if volunteer peas are not wanted.
• Avoid sowing into hot, humid summer conditions.
• Allow 2–4 weeks after incorporation before planting sensitive seedlings.
• Can be grown alone or mixed with cereal cover crops for extra biomass and support.

Quick Growing Guide