Austrian Winter Peas are a good cover crop for producing nitrogen. These peas have better cold tolerance than Canadian Field Peas yet still grow well when planted after wheat or other summer annuals. It’s preferred to plant them in August after the hottest days are normally past. Below I list the advantages and disadvantages of Austrian Winter Peas.
Austrian Winter Pea flower
The peas in my garden plots overwintered and grew to over 5 foot tall this spring!
Austrian Winter Peas provide a very nice source of Nitrogen.
Advantages
- Produces 60-120#/acre N
- Generally Winterkills
- Easy to kill with herbicides
- Mixes very well with Oilseed Radish
- Relatively inexpensive to use as a cover crop
Disadvantages
- Best to be planted 1/2″ or so
- Aerial application provides challenges for stand establishment- but has worked!
- Generally Winterkills
- Needs 5-6 weeks growth for best results
- Only one grazing/harvest can be expected
Dave
What is your experience with A. Winter peas, will be of value as a cover crop if flown into soybeans at leaf drop in Lucas Cty Ohio area? Will they get that 5 to 6 weeks of growth as mentioned above. The same question with crimsom clover.
Flo, Flying peas into standing crops is pretty risky. I have seen it work pretty well…but only into good moisture (and it stayed pretty moist). Peas work much better incorporated to a depth of 1 to 1 1/2″ deep. On the other hand Crimson Clover works very well flown into soybeans or corn at the right maturity stage. The nice thing about Crimson Clover is that it most likely will live through the winter and produce more nitrogen in the spring as well. The peas might do that but crimson clover will be more winterhardy most years.