Fast Lady Northern Southern Cowpea
Fast Lady Northern Southern Cowpea is an innovative open-pollinated variety that earned its whimsical name as a "Fast Lady" because of its quick maturity and adaptability. These peas thrive in cooler northern summers yet love the heat of southern climates, too! In essence, it’s a southern pea (think black-eyed pea or crowder pea) that matures early enough for shorter growing seasons. The plants have a semi-bush habit, staying compact and upright without the need for a trellis, and they produce pretty yellow flowers that pollinators can't get enough of. Each plant sets plenty of slender pods about 7–8 inches long filled with small, cream-colored peas that are sweet and tender when fresh shelled and wonderfully creamy when dried and cooked.
This is an annual open-pollinated seed that grows well in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-11.
Each packet will have a little over 25 seeds.
Fast Lady Northern Southern Cowpea is an innovative open-pollinated variety that earned its whimsical name as a "Fast Lady" because of its quick maturity and adaptability. These peas thrive in cooler northern summers yet love the heat of southern climates, too! In essence, it’s a southern pea (think black-eyed pea or crowder pea) that matures early enough for shorter growing seasons. The plants have a semi-bush habit, staying compact and upright without the need for a trellis, and they produce pretty yellow flowers that pollinators can't get enough of. Each plant sets plenty of slender pods about 7–8 inches long filled with small, cream-colored peas that are sweet and tender when fresh shelled and wonderfully creamy when dried and cooked.
This is an annual open-pollinated seed that grows well in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-11.
Each packet will have a little over 25 seeds.
Fast Lady Northern Southern Cowpea is an innovative open-pollinated variety that earned its whimsical name as a "Fast Lady" because of its quick maturity and adaptability. These peas thrive in cooler northern summers yet love the heat of southern climates, too! In essence, it’s a southern pea (think black-eyed pea or crowder pea) that matures early enough for shorter growing seasons. The plants have a semi-bush habit, staying compact and upright without the need for a trellis, and they produce pretty yellow flowers that pollinators can't get enough of. Each plant sets plenty of slender pods about 7–8 inches long filled with small, cream-colored peas that are sweet and tender when fresh shelled and wonderfully creamy when dried and cooked.
This is an annual open-pollinated seed that grows well in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-11.
Each packet will have a little over 25 seeds.
Growing Instructions
Cowpeas are very similar to beans in their growing needs. Sow seeds directly into the garden after once the soil has warmed above 60°. Choose a spot with full sun and well-draining soil. This variety's bushy, semi-determinate plants only climb a little, so they usually do not require trellising. Plant seeds about 1" deep and 2"-4" apart, thinning to 6" apart once they've sprouted. The plants will grow about 12"-24" tall and over the season will produce two main flushes of pods. If you prefer, early pods can hang on the plants until the later ones are ready, which means you can get a larger harvest all at once. Like all legumes, avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen; these peas make their own and too much fertilizer will just boost leaves over pods.
Harvest, Storage, and Use
Fast Lady cowpeas can be harvested at two stages: as tender, green peas or as dry beans. For fresh use, start checking pods about 60-70 days after planting. When the pods are well-filled and still green or just beginning to yellow, pick them by snapping or cutting off the stem. If you want to shell the peas from the pods, simmer them in water or broth for 15-20 minutes. You could also sauté the young, green pods whole, or toss a few tender young leaves into a stir-fry.
For dry beans, leave the pods on the plant until they turn tan and papery and the peas inside rattle after around 90 days. After the pods dry a bit more in a well-ventilated place, shell the fully dried peas. Since these peas don't require pre-soaking, simply simmer them for about 30 minutes to an hour, and they'll become nice and tender. Cooked peas make a great addition to soups, or they can be chilled and marinated for a protein-rich salad. Dried cowpeas will store for a year or more in a cool, dry area.
| 👍 Good companions | Corn, squash (shade soil and reduce weeds), tomatoes, peppers (benefit from nitrogen fixed by cowpeas), and most other vegetables like turnips, parsnips, potatoes, eggplant, radishes, cucumbers, carrots, beans, and brassicas | ||
| 👎 Bad companions | Alliums like onions and garlic, and gladiolus flowers (inhibit growth) | ||
| Growing zones | 3-11 | Crop type | Annual |
| Crop difficulty | Easy | Seed type | Open-Pollinated |
| Sowing method | Direct Sow | Containers? | Large / Bed |
| Sun req. | Full Sun | Ideal soil temp. | 60-80°F |
| Days to germination | 7-14 days | Days to maturity | 65/90 days |
| Seed spacing | 2"-4" | Row spacing | 18"-24" |
| Seed depth | 1" | Needs support? | No |