Asparagus peas: cultivation, harvest & use
Asparagus pea is not only a sophisticated culture for the vegetable garden, but also visually appealing. Here you can learn what you need to consider when growing the pea family.
The name “asparagus pea” is used synonymously for two species. The two variants are yellow asparagus pea (Lotus maritimus) and red asparagus pea (Lotus tetragonolobus). As a crop, the red-flowered asparagus pea has greater relevance. This is reflected in the fact that on the market you will find almost exclusively seeds for red asparagus pea.
Contents
Aparagus pea: origin and characteristics
Because the seed pods of the asparagus pea resemble wings, the plant is also known as the “winged pea”. It originates from the southern Mediterranean region and is considered a delicacy especially in Asia. Here, the legume has been common since the 16th century, but has been largely displaced by the cultivated pea (Pisum sativum).
Red asparagus pea is an annual plant that grows 30-40 cm high and is decorated with velvety red flowers throughout the summer. Yellow asparagus pea, on the other hand, is perennial, hardy and grows only 10 to 30 cm high. Their flowering period lasts only from May to July.
Both species form five-toothed leaves, each consisting of 3 terminal midleaves and 2 lanceolate stipules. However, the short-stemmed, hairy foliage differs subtly in colouration. While the leaves of the red asparagus pea are grass-green, they are more bluish-green in the yellow asparagus pea.
The five-petaled butterfly flower of the asparagus pea reaches a size of 2 to 2.5 cm and consists of a bell-shaped calyx. Due to the construction of these deep calyxes, the nectar is only accessible by insects with a proboscis at least 12 mm long. This means insects such as butterflies and bumblebees benefit from this type of construction. Bees, on the other hand, do not get to the flower nectar.
The almost spherical asparagus pea seeds are light green at first and olive green to black when mature. The seeds, about 2 mm in size, used to be roasted and made into a coffee-like beverage.
The approximately 4 cm long, square seed pods are also light green at first and later turn brown to black-brown. Stems are erect immediately after germination, but subsequently transition to more of a recumbent to ascending state. A basal axis and several thin secondary shoots are formed from the base, which grow up to 1 m long. At the same time the plant does not develop tendrils.
Growing asparagus peas in the garden
The winged pea does not have particularly high site requirements. A sunny spot with a humus, moist and calcareous soil, that is, with a pH of 7 and above, promises the greatest success for the cultivation of asparagus pea. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that the substrate is neither too heavy nor prone to waterlogging. Overall, sandy-loamy soils are the most suitable.
When cultivating, make sure to maintain a cultivation distance of 4 years from other legume species, such as beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and peas, at the selected location in the bed.
Like almost all legumes, winged pea is able to fix nitrogen from the air by means of nodule bacteria. Thus, low-yielding asparagus pea is best suited for mixed cropping with medium- or high-yielding plants such as cucumbers (Cucumis sativus), cabbage (Brassica), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), celery (Apium graveolens), carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) or courgette (Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo convar. giromontiina). Asparagus pea also lends itself to underplanting taller growing vegetables such as tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) or chillies (Capsicum).
In principle, cultivation is possible in the vegetable patch or even in a pot on the balcony. To do this, the vessel should have a capacity of at least 5-10 litres and a height of 20 cm. You can sow the seeds directly in the open ground without preplanting. To do this, sowing should be between mid-April and June. To speed up germination, it is a good idea to presoak the asparagus pea seeds in warm water or camomile tea for 12 to 24 hours. The camomile tea is said to have an anti-fungal and antibacterial effect.
Sowing asparagus pea should be at a sowing depth of 1 to 3 cm. Due to the bushy growth, a row spacing of 30 to 50 cm should be maintained. Within the row is recommended to sow closer – in case not all the seeds sprout. This way you get a dense stand and can still separate later. Ultimately, the aim is to achieve a row spacing of 50 to 60 cm. After sowing, you should water generously. Then germination will occur within 7-10 days.
The right care
Cultivation of asparagus peas is on the whole quite uncomplicated. Nevertheless, a few things should be taken into account. Due to their ability to fix nitrogen, no additional nitrogen fertilisation is necessary. On the other hand, you should make sure that already at sowing there is a nutrient-rich substrate, because the plant needs a humus-rich soil. To ensure an adequate supply of nutrients, and especially to meet the need for potassium and phosphorus, compost can be mixed in or a nutrient-rich soil can be used. The use of a peat-free substrate such as our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost contributes to climate protection.
- Perfect for all your house, garden & balcony plants
- For strong & healthy plants as well as an active soil life
- Peat-free & organic soil: CO2-saving composition
To combat weeds and create a loose soil structure, it is recommended to regularly hoe and mulch the soil. A steady supply of water is especially important at the time of pod and flower formation, otherwise they may fall off. In addition, the heat-loving plant should be watered as needed with water that is not too cold. Heated rainwater from a collection barrel is ideal for this purpose.
For long-shoot varieties, you can pull the shoots on the fence or fix them on bamboo sticks. To do this, you need to tie them, because they do not climb on their own.
Harvesting and using asparagus peas
You should harvest the asparagus peas when the pods have not yet formed skins and threads and they are about 3 about 4 cm long. Otherwise, they are woody and not very tasty. Winged pea forms new pods several times throughout the summer, and this is encouraged by ongoing harvesting. If you want to harvest the pods for consumption, you should pick through about every 3 days. This way you will not overlook them in their young stage, when they are most tasty. The harvest period is from June to September, depending on the sowing date. If pods are missed, they can be allowed to mature and used as seed for the following year. To do this, the seed pods need to ripen until they are brown to black-brown colour and be left to dry in a well-ventilated place. The seeds are usually germinable for up to 5 years.
The pods should be processed immediately after harvesting, otherwise they become mealy and bitter, as the sugar they contain converts to starch. If they are already ripe for harvesting and cannot be processed directly, it is a good idea to freeze the vegetables for later use.
For example, you can steam the pods, sauté them, or make them into a cream soup. The young shoots can also be harvested and eaten steamed, for example. The taste of the vegetable is described as mild and asparagus.
Can you eat asparagus peas raw? You can eat the asparagus peas, because they do not contain toxins such as raw beans do, even raw. For example, you can use them to spice up a salad.
