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Vegetable Full Sun Moderate water

Black-Eyed Pea

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Heat-loving legume that fixes nitrogen in soil. A warmth-loving plant that does best between 22°C and 32°C, black-eyed pea adapts well to tropical and subtropical conditions but cannot tolerate frost. Give it full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and moderate, even watering throughout the growing season, and expect to harvest in roughly 60-90 days. An excellent choice for beginner and experienced gardeners alike, thanks to its forgiving growing habits.

Harvest 60-90 days
Temp Range 15°C — 38°C

Quick Answer: How to Grow Black-Eyed Pea

Black-Eyed Pea takes 60-90 days to harvest. It grows best in 22–32°C with full sun and moderate watering. Black-Eyed Pea is not frost tolerant — wait until after the last frost to plant. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Black-Eyed Pea in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Moderate
❄️
Frost
Sensitive
📅
Harvest
60-90 days

Temperature Range

22-32°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 22–32°C Tolerates: 15–38°C
Tropical suitable: Yes
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Direct sow after soil warms. Drought-tolerant once established. Wait until soil warms to at least 22°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Water steadily but avoid soggy soil. A 5-cm layer of organic mulch helps balance moisture and suppress weeds.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: 15°C to 38°C
  • Optimal growing: 22°C to 32°C
  • Harvest in 60-90 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Black-Eyed Pea loves the heat! It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates year-round.
  • 🌱 Black-Eyed Pea needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Black-eyed peas (Vigna unguiculata) are a quintessential warm-season legume requiring soil temperatures of at least 65°F — ideally 70–95°F — before sowing. They fix atmospheric nitrogen via root nodules (inoculate seed with cowpea-specific Bradyrhizobium inoculant for best results in new plots). Sow seeds 1 inch deep and 4–6 inches apart in rows 24–36 inches apart directly in the garden after all frost risk has passed. They prefer well-drained, moderately fertile soil with a pH of 5.8–7.0 — excessive nitrogen from fertilization will produce lush vines with poor pod set. A single pre-plant application of phosphorus and potassium (without nitrogen) is ideal. Water moderately at 1 inch per week; once established, black-eyed peas exhibit exceptional drought tolerance. Bush types need no support; vining types need a trellis or fence. Plant a succession every 3 weeks through midsummer for continuous harvest.

Common Pests & Problems

Cowpea curculio (Chalcodermus aeneus) is the most damaging pest in the southeastern US — the weevil punctures developing pods and larvae feed inside; there is no effective organic control beyond row covers during egg-laying in early pod set. Southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) causes sudden wilting with white cottony mycelium at the soil line in hot, humid conditions — improve drainage, rotate crops, and solarize soil in affected beds. Bacterial pustule causes small yellow spots with reddish-brown centers on leaves in warm, wet weather — avoid overhead irrigation and plant resistant varieties. Aphids cluster on new growth and may vector viruses — control with insecticidal soap and reflective mulch to disorient aphids.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest black-eyed peas at three stages: as snaps (when pods are 3–4 inches long), as shell peas (when seeds are plump inside a still-green pod), or as dry beans (when pods turn tan and papery). For fresh shell peas, harvest when pods are fully filled but still green — shell immediately and use within 3–5 days refrigerated, or blanch and freeze. For dry beans, allow pods to fully dry on the plant, then harvest and shell. Dry beans store in airtight containers for 2–3 years. Dried beans should be soaked overnight before cooking to reduce cook time and improve digestibility.

Popular Varieties

'California Blackeye #5' is the standard commercial processing variety — vigorous, high-yielding, and nematode-resistant. 'Iron and Clay' is grown primarily as a cover crop and wildlife food plot but is also edible. 'Pinkeye Purple Hull' produces seeds with a distinctive pink eye (not black) inside purple-hulled pods — it is extremely popular in the American South for its sweet flavor and high yields. 'Mississippi Silver' is a cream-colored variety with silver-gray pods that is considered one of the best tasting for fresh shell use.

Where to Grow Black-Eyed Pea

Black-Eyed Pea can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
Amsterdam, NL medium
Ankara, TR medium
Antalya, TR medium
Athens, GR medium
Barcelona, ES medium
Bari, IT medium
Belgrade, RS medium
Bergen, NO medium
Berlin, DE medium
Bilbao, ES medium
Bologna, IT medium
Bordeaux, FR medium
Bratislava, SK medium
Brussels, BE medium
Bucharest, RO medium
Budapest, HU medium
Catania, IT medium
Cologne, DE medium
Copenhagen, DK medium
Corfu, GR medium
Cork, IE medium
Dublin, IE medium
Dubrovnik, HR medium
Edinburgh, GB medium
Florence, IT medium
Frankfurt, DE medium
Gdansk, PL medium
Genoa, IT medium
Glasgow, GB medium
Gothenburg, SE medium
Hamburg, DE medium
Helsinki, FI medium
Heraklion, GR medium
Istanbul, TR medium
Izmir, TR medium
Krakow, PL medium
Kyiv, UA medium
Limassol, CY medium
Lisbon, PT medium
Ljubljana, SI medium
London, GB medium
Lyon, FR medium
Madrid, ES medium
Malaga, ES medium
Marseille, FR medium
Milan, IT medium
Munich, DE medium
Naples, IT medium
Nice, FR medium
Nicosia, CY medium
Oslo, NO medium
Palermo, IT medium
Paris, FR medium
Porto, PT medium
Poznan, PL medium
Prague, CZ medium
Reykjavik, IS medium
Riga, LV medium
Rome, IT medium
Seville, ES medium
Sofia, BG medium
Split, HR medium
Stockholm, SE medium
Strasbourg, FR medium
Stuttgart, DE medium
Tallinn, EE medium
Thessaloniki, GR medium
Tirana, AL medium
Toulouse, FR medium
Turin, IT medium
Turku, FI medium
Valencia, ES medium
Valletta, MT medium
Verona, IT medium
Vienna, AT medium
Vilnius, LT medium
Warsaw, PL medium
Zagreb, HR medium
Zurich, CH medium

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
Almaty, KZ medium
Bali, ID medium
Bandung, ID medium
Bangalore, IN medium
Bangkok, TH medium
Beijing, CN medium
Busan, KR medium
Cebu, PH medium
Chandigarh, IN medium
Chengdu, CN medium
Chennai, IN medium
Chiang Mai, TH medium
Chittagong, BD medium
Chongqing, CN medium
Coimbatore, IN medium
Colombo, LK medium
Da Nang, VN medium
Dalian, CN medium
Davao, PH medium
Delhi, IN medium
Dhaka, BD medium
Dharan, NP medium
Fukuoka, JP medium
Galle, LK medium
Guangzhou, CN medium
Hangzhou, CN medium
Hanoi, VN medium
Harbin, CN medium
Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
Hong Kong, HK medium
Hyderabad, IN medium
Incheon, KR medium
Indore, IN medium
Islamabad, PK medium
Jaipur, IN medium
Jakarta, ID medium
Jeju, KR medium
Johor Bahru, MY medium
Karachi, PK medium
Kathmandu, NP medium
Kochi, IN medium
Kolkata, IN medium
Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
Kunming, CN medium
Kyoto, JP medium
Lahore, PK medium
Lucknow, IN medium
Manila, PH medium
Mumbai, IN medium
Nagoya, JP medium
Nanjing, CN medium
Nha Trang, VN medium
Okinawa, JP medium
Osaka, JP medium
Pattaya, TH medium
Penang, MY medium
Phnom Penh, KH medium
Pune, IN medium
Sapporo, JP medium
Seoul, KR medium
Shanghai, CN medium
Shenzhen, CN medium
Siem Reap, KH medium
Singapore, SG medium
Surabaya, ID medium
Surat, IN medium
Taipei, TW medium
Tashkent, UZ medium
Tbilisi, GE medium
Tokyo, JP medium
Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
Varanasi, IN medium
Vientiane, LA medium
Visakhapatnam, IN medium
Wuhan, CN medium
Xi'an, CN medium
Xiamen, CN medium
Yangon, MM medium

🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
Anchorage, US medium
Atlanta, US medium
Austin, US medium
Baltimore, US medium
Baton Rouge, US medium
Boise, US medium
Boston, US medium
Bridgetown, BB medium
Buffalo, US medium
Calgary, CA medium
Cancun, MX medium
Charleston, US medium
Charlotte, US medium
Chattanooga, US medium
Chicago, US medium
Denver, US medium
Des Moines, US medium
Detroit, US medium
Edmonton, CA medium
El Paso, US medium
Fargo, US medium
Fresno, US medium
Guadalajara, MX medium
Halifax, CA medium
Hartford, US medium
Havana, CU medium
Honolulu, US medium
Houston, US medium
Jacksonville, US medium
Kansas City, US medium
Kingston, JM medium
Knoxville, US medium
Las Vegas, US medium
Little Rock, US medium
Los Angeles, US medium
Louisville, US medium
Lubbock, US medium
Madison, US medium
Memphis, US medium
Mexico City, MX medium
Miami, US medium
Milwaukee, US medium
Minneapolis, US medium
Monterrey, MX medium
Montreal, CA medium
Nashville, US medium
New Orleans, US medium
New York, US medium
Oaxaca, MX medium
Oklahoma City, US medium
Omaha, US medium
Ottawa, CA medium
Panama City, PA medium
Phoenix, US medium
Pittsburgh, US medium
Portland, US medium
Puebla, MX medium
Quebec City, CA medium
Raleigh, US medium
Richmond, US medium
Sacramento, US medium
Salt Lake City, US medium
San Diego, US medium
San Francisco, US medium
San Jose, CR medium
Santo Domingo, DO medium
Saskatoon, CA medium
Savannah, US medium
Seattle, US medium
Spokane, US medium
St. Louis, US medium
Tampa, US medium
Toronto, CA medium
Tucson, US medium
Vancouver, CA medium
Victoria, CA medium
Winnipeg, CA medium

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
Accra, GH medium
Addis Ababa, ET medium
Algiers, DZ medium
Antananarivo, MG medium
Arusha, TZ medium
Bamako, ML medium
Bloemfontein, ZA medium
Cairo, EG medium
Cape Town, ZA medium
Casablanca, MA medium
Dakar, SN medium
Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
Douala, CM medium
Durban, ZA medium
Entebbe, UG medium
Fez, MA medium
Freetown, SL medium
Harare, ZW medium
Johannesburg, ZA medium
Kampala, UG medium
Kigali, RW medium
Kinshasa, CD medium
Lagos, NG medium
Libreville, GA medium
Lilongwe, MW medium
Lome, TG medium
Luanda, AO medium
Lusaka, ZM medium
Maputo, MZ medium
Marrakech, MA medium
Mombasa, KE medium
Nairobi, KE medium
Ouagadougou, BF medium
Port Louis, MU medium
Pretoria, ZA medium
Tunis, TN medium
Windhoek, NA medium
Zanzibar, TZ medium

🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
Asuncion, PY medium
Barranquilla, CO medium
Belem, BR medium
Bogota, CO medium
Brasilia, BR medium
Buenos Aires, AR medium
Cali, CO medium
Campinas, BR medium
Caracas, VE medium
Cartagena, CO medium
Concepcion, CL medium
Cordoba, AR medium
Curitiba, BR medium
Cusco, PE medium
Fortaleza, BR medium
Georgetown, GY medium
Goiania, BR medium
Guayaquil, EC medium
La Paz, BO medium
Lima, PE medium
Manaus, BR medium
Medellin, CO medium
Mendoza, AR medium
Montevideo, UY medium
Paramaribo, SR medium
Port of Spain, TT medium
Porto Alegre, BR medium
Quito, EC medium
Recife, BR medium
Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
Rosario, AR medium
Salvador, BR medium
Santa Cruz, BO medium
Santiago, CL medium
Sao Paulo, BR medium
Sucre, BO medium
Trujillo, PE medium
Valparaiso, CL medium

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
Alice Springs, AU medium
Auckland, NZ medium
Brisbane, AU medium
Cairns, AU medium
Canberra, AU medium
Christchurch, NZ medium
Darwin, AU medium
Dunedin, NZ medium
Gold Coast, AU medium
Hamilton, NZ medium
Hobart, AU medium
Melbourne, AU medium
Noumea, NC medium
Perth, AU medium
Suva, FJ medium
Sydney, AU medium
Townsville, AU medium
Wellington, NZ medium

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
Amman, JO medium
Baghdad, IQ medium
Beirut, LB medium
Doha, QA medium
Dubai, AE medium
Erbil, IQ medium
Jeddah, SA medium
Kuwait City, KW medium
Manama, BH medium
Muscat, OM medium
Riyadh, SA medium
Sana'a, YE medium
Tabriz, IR medium
Tehran, IR medium
Tel Aviv, IL medium

When should I plant black-eyed pea in my city?

The best time to plant black-eyed pea depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 22°C and 32°C. Wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow black-eyed pea in winter?

Black-Eyed Pea is not frost tolerant and cannot survive winter outdoors in most temperate climates. In tropical areas (USDA Zones 10+), it may grow year-round.

Get Black-Eyed Pea Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Black-Eyed Pea seeds and starter plants online.

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Black-Eyed Pea

When should I plant black-eyed pea?

The best time to plant black-eyed pea depends on your local climate. Black-Eyed Pea grows best in temperatures between 22°C and 32°C (can tolerate 15°C to 38°C). Black-Eyed Pea is not frost tolerant, so wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can black-eyed pea grow in tropical climates?

Yes! Black-Eyed Pea can grow in tropical climates. It's successfully grown in tropical cities like Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Accra. Black-Eyed Pea requires full sun and moderate watering.

How long does black-eyed pea take to grow?

Black-Eyed Pea typically takes 60-90 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and moderate watering. Direct sow after soil warms. Drought-tolerant once established. Wait until soil warms to at least 22°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Water steadily but avoid soggy soil. A 5-cm layer of organic mulch helps balance moisture and suppress weeds.

Find the Best Time to Plant Black-Eyed Pea

See the planting calendar for Black-Eyed Pea in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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