Vigna, as a nutrient in the diet and a useful plant in folk medicine, is not familiar to everyone. But it is worth paying attention to this culture. Beautiful greens and rich vitamin and mineral composition of the fruit give it the right to occupy a leading position in healthy nutrition. We will analyze how to grow cowpea and correctly harvest the crop later in the article.
Vigna: what is this plant
Vigna is a non-wild herb that resembles beans in appearance. Crossbreeding and pollination with beans is not possible. The annually planted cowpea can be in the form of a bush, climbing vines, be tall or short. Some varieties are especially attractive at the time of blooming.
People call cowpea "cowpeas" or "sweet beans".
The birthplace of culture is Africa. From there, it spread to America and European states. The plant is very popular in East Asian countries. In our country, the popularity of cowpea is only gaining momentum.
Shoulders of culture are eaten when they are still in a young stage of ripening, and beans. The plant has a number of advantages due to its valuable composition.
The main characteristics of the culture
Vigna has a long, straight stem, covered with large trifoliate leaves in pairs. Flowers appear in the flowering phase. Their color depends on the variety of cowpea and can be pale purple, yellow, white and blue.
The fruits are thin, elongated. The absence of a parchment layer gives cowpea an advantage over asparagus and other types of beans. As they ripen, seeds appear inside - beans. Their color can be black, white, milky, etc.
The culture has a rich composition of vitamins and minerals, which makes the presence in the diet useful and obligatory.
The benefits of cowpea
The cultivated plant is a source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Beans and shoulder blades contain:
- potassium;
- calcium;
- sodium;
- manganese;
- phosphorus;
- copper;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- zinc;
- arginine;
- vitamin C;
- B vitamins, etc.
Such a composition causes the following beneficial effects on the body:
- lowers blood sugar;
- increases hemoglobin;
- stabilizes blood pressure;
- normalizes bowel function;
- helps in weight loss;
- prevents the appearance of edema and removes excess fluid from the body.
Popular varieties of cowpea
The culture has many varieties and hybrids. The most common are "Macaretti", "Countess" and "Korean".
Macaretti variety
A mid-season high-yield variety. Vines grow up to 3 m long. The possibility of harvesting the first harvest appears after 2.5 months from germination. Long green pods reach a length of 35 cm. Average yield - from 1.5 to 2 kg per bush. The fruits are delicious and nutritious.
Variety Countess
Early variety. The crop is ready for harvest in 63-65 days. Half-meter pods are located on long vines. The shoulder blades do not have coarse fibers, so they are very tender and juicy. The beans are black. The yield is up to 2.5 kg per bush.
Korean variety
Early maturing variety. A bush-shaped plant that allows you to grow a crop in compact areas. The pods are short - up to 12 cm. The yield is about 1 kg per bush.
Planting and growing cowpea
For subsequent planting, a prerequisite is the preparation of the soil and seed material. Further correct agrotechnical care and the creation of favorable conditions for cowpea will bring results in the form of a beautiful flowering and rich harvest.
Soil preparation
Choose a sunny and dry site for planting cowpea. The plant does not tolerate excessive shade, waterlogging and drafts. Observe the crop rotation.
Vigna needs a large amount of nutrients during the growing season, so the soil after it remains poor in mineral components and substances. The plant should be planted in the same place no earlier than after 3 years.
Vigna prefers non-acidified loose soils. Therefore, in the fall, during digging of the site, if the soil is with high acidity, it is necessary to add chalk, limestone or ash to it. The application rate is about 1 kg per sq. m. As organic matter decomposes, the soil will become alkalized, and the acidity will decrease.
Organic matter improves the quality of the soil, making it not only lighter and looser, but also enriching it with nutrients, increasing aeration properties. In autumn arable land, humus or manure can be distributed over the site at the rate of 2.5-3 kg per 1 sq. It will not be superfluous to introduce potash and phosphorus fertilizers. Superphosphate in the amount of 25-30 g per sq. m and potassium salt - 20 g per sq. m.
In the case of non-depleted soil, if organic fertilizers are used in its preparation in the fall, it is possible to do without the introduction of mineral dressings. The advantage of organics is that, slowly decomposing, the optimal amount of nutrients accumulates in the soil by spring, and their effect on the plant is quite long.
Seed preparation and sowing
Cowpea seeds sprout very slowly with insufficient soil warming, therefore sowing in open ground is possible only in the southern regions. In regions with a cool climate, planting in open ground is possible only with seedlings.
For sowing cowpea, a necessary measure is the preparation of planting material:
- The seeds are soaked for 4-6 hours in warm water to swell. So their shell will become softer, which means that the emergence of seedlings will occur earlier.
- For disinfection of seeds, a method of lowering them for 15-20 minutes in a weak solution of manganese is used. Do not overdo it with the concentration of the substance in the water, the solution should be light pink in color. After the time has elapsed, rinse the seeds with clean water and dry them until flowing again.
To obtain seedlings, seeds are sown in separate containers. It can be any reusable container, but peat glasses are preferable. The planting and growing procedure includes the following work:
- Fill a container with soil and plant 1-2 seeds in each, deepening them 1 cm into the soil.
- Spray water on the surface, and cover the glasses with glass or transparent foil to maintain moisture.
- Place the containers on the windows on the south side.
- Water the soil regularly. No additional feeding is required.
- When the first 4 leaves are formed, reduce soil moisture.
It takes 35 to 40 days for seedlings to grow to the planting phase. Taking this time into account, the sowing date is also calculated. In each region, it will be displaced in one direction or another.
Transplanting
You can plant seedlings when the air temperature does not drop below 15 degrees Celsius, and the soil has warmed up by 10-12 cm. If necessary, organize a shelter made of PVC film and metal arches above the garden bed.
The planting scheme assumes the width between the rows to leave 70-80 cm, and the distance between the planted bushes to maintain at least 65 cm.
Seedling planting process:
- Moisten the soil before planting.
- Cut rows or grooves according to the planting pattern.
- Place a peat pot with seedlings in the hole, and sprinkle it with soil, lightly tamping.
- When planting seedlings from reusable containers, carefully remove it, and plant it in the hole together with an earthen clod.
- Water.
You can grow cowpea in open ground without seedlings. It is enough to wait until the weather is favorable and plant 3 seeds in the hole. In the process of growth, the healthiest shoot is selected, and the remaining 2 are removed. Cover the garden at first to protect the plants from temperature fluctuations.
Fruits form faster when grown outdoors using seedlings.
Watering and feeding
Use rainwater or well water for irrigation, settled and slightly warmed up. The soil should be moistened, given that the cowpea does not like waterlogging. But it is not worth leaving the garden bed until the earth dries up in it.
When feeding the culture with mineral fertilizers, combine them with the irrigation process. To do this, dissolve in 10 liters of water:
- potassium chloride - 5 g;
- superphosphate - 15 g.
You can also use the following tools:
- mullein - in a ratio of 1:20;
- urea - 1 tbsp. l.
Parallel to the rows, make furrows about 5 cm deep. Spill the grooves with top dressing and sprinkle with earth.
Plant care during the growing season
In the process of growth, the vigna needs regular agrotechnical measures. First of all, when growing a climbing plant, set up supports, trellises, or stretch a cucumber net so that the vigna can trail along them. After reaching a length of 2.5 m, pinch the liana.
Weed to kill weeds when the crop height is at least 10 cm. Until then, it is recommended to manually pull out the weeds. At the same time, be careful and careful not to damage the root system of the cowpea.
Loosen the soil regularly so that the dry crust on the surface of the soil does not interfere with the growing season of the plant. This procedure will prevent excessive drying out of the soil and increase the possibility of air getting to the roots of the cowpea.
Harvesting and storage
Collecting green cowpea pods is necessary no later than 7-10 days after their appearance, during the period of milk maturity. By breaking off the pods, you provoke the early formation of new ones. Otherwise they will become fibrous and tough.
The shoulder blades do not last long, so they should either be eaten immediately or frozen. For winter consumption, cut the pods to the desired size, pack in bags and place in the freezer.
To harvest the beans, wait until the pods are completely ripe and dry. The shoulder blades should be half-sheared, and the beans should be dried and stored in a cool place. Grind dry blades and remove to a dry place. A useful broth is obtained from them.
For planting, seeds are used that have been stored for no more than 5 years.
In the video presented, the gardener talks about the timely harvest of the Vigna plant:
Vigna in cooking
Vigna is a useful product. In terms of protein content, its beans bypass even fish and meat. And the pods are a valuable source of fiber.
The plant contains toxins, so it is not allowed to be eaten without heat treatment.
Soups, sauces are prepared from the seeds of the culture, beans are added to salads and main dishes. They are germinated and used in diets. And green pods are a great side dish.
Gardeners reviews
Irina, 44 years old, manager of a construction organization, Astrakhan.Growing useful plants in the country is my passion. I grew asparagus beans, but neighbors advised cowpea, giving it frozen for testing. I have never regretted changing the culture. I form a gazebo out of it, enjoying first the beautiful flowers, and then the harvest. I advise!
Vladislav, 64 years old, pensioner, Novocherkassk.After the appearance of health problems, it was necessary to change the diet and give up meat. Vigna came to the rescue. We tried to grow it on the balcony in wooden containers. There were very few fruits, although greenery covered the whole space. Now we sow only on the site. We eat its beans and pods. Delicious.
Elena, 24 years old, mother on maternity leave, Ust-Labinsk.They began to grow cowpea as an ornamental climbing plant with beautiful flowers. Later they learned that its fruits are edible. Now she is our favorite in the beds. The whole family adheres to proper nutrition, so cowpea dishes are constantly on our table.
Galina, Sochi
I have been growing cowpea for several years. Great culture, very productive, early, does not require "dancing with tambourines". I plant several rows of different varieties of 5/6 meters, once a week I collect a large bundle of excellent shoulder blades. Harvest from June to November in OG, but this is in our climate. The application is very diverse from salads, soups, stews to excellent preparations for the winter. Last year I even did turshu. In general, I recommend to everyone who will plant once, they will not give up this culture anymore!
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Raising cowpea is pretty easy. Even novice gardeners can cope with this, because the plant does not require special conditions and agricultural technology. And with sufficient care, it gives up to 3 kg of valuable crop per bush, which can be stored in various ways for year-round use.