In this article, you are going to find out the right time to start your cowpeas indoors. Follow along with this handy guide for a detailed step-by-step guide.
What is Cowpeas?
Cowpeas, also known as blackeye peas, southern peas, beans in different countries of the world is an annual legume that is grown indoors and outdoors. It’s an edible crop that thrives in drought and semi-drought areas.
There have been lots of controversies about whether to grow it indoors or outdoors and which of them is favorable. Cowpeas thrive outdoors due to the presence of the full sun, however, they can also thrive indoors in partial shade.
Cowpeas are part of the legume family, thus extra fertilization is unlikely. The crop originated in Africa and it has spread its relevance across various continents of the world.
In this article, I’ll enunciate various steps taken to grow your Cowpeas indoors.
Procedures For Growing Cowpeas Indoors
1) Gardeners must first choose a container before starting to cultivate beans indoors. Cowpeas grow nicely in a variety of larger containers, but they thrive in narrow containers that are at least 8 inches (20 cm) deep.
2) As with any container planting, make sure each pot has enough drainage holes on the bottom.
3) Fill each container halfway with a well-draining potting mix that has been supplemented with compost.
4) Make sure to evaluate the plant’s growth habit while deciding which Cowpea cultivar to grow indoors. While both pole and bush kinds of Cowpeas can be grown, they each have their own set of difficulties.
Pole Cowpeas varieties will need a trellis structure, whilst bush bean varieties will produce small, compact plants that are much easier to handle indoors.
5) Cowpeas seeds can be directly put into the container, normally covered with soil about an inch (2.5 cm) thick, according to the package instructions.
6) Water the container thoroughly once the seeds have been sown. Maintain a consistent moisture level in the planting until it germinates, which should take about seven days.
Read also: Learn about the types of cowpeas
7) Indoor Cowpeas plants need temperatures of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) to grow and produce harvestable beans from the time they are planted.
8) The plants must be exposed to at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. Grow lights can be used to achieve this, or the containers can be placed in a sunny window.
9) When the soil becomes dry, water the Cowpeas, but be careful not to damp the foliage. This will assist in the prevention of sickness.
10) Harvesting pods from indoor Cowpeas plants can be done whenever they reach the required size. To harvest the pods from your indoor Cowpeas plant, delicately snap them from the stem.
Pests And Diseases
Some pests and diseases want to impede the growth of your Cowpeas, and there are various to control them. They are as follows.
Pests
Aphids, Mexican bean beetles, flea beetles, cucumber beetles, leafhoppers, mites, and slugs are pests that harm Cowpeas. Use insecticidal soap or spray the pests away with a blast of water from the hose.
You can also crush any eggs or parasites you find between your fingers and thumb. Large infestations should be pinched out and removed.
Read also: Learn how long it takes cowpeas to grow
Diseases
Powdery mildew, anthracnose, blight, and mosaic virus are diseases that affect Cowpeas. You can control these diseases in the following ways:
- Plant varieties that are disease-resistant.
- Maintain a tidy and debris-free garden. Disease-carrying insects may be found in weeds and debris.
- To prevent the spread of fungal spores, avoid handling plants when they are wet.
- Diseased plants should be removed and placed in a paper bag before being discarded.
Conclusion
I hope this article was of excellent help to you in understanding when to start your cowpeas indoors. I would like to hear from you. So, let me know if you have any questions about growing cowpeas indoors. Also, learn how to grow Cowpeas in containers.