Southern peas may be planted through May. Use a low nitrogen fertilizer such as 8-24-24 or 6-24-24 at the rate of 1 to 2 pounds per 100 feet of row. Too much nitrogen causes a lot of plant growth and few peas. If soils are rich, peas may not need fertilizer.

Varieties are Pinkeye Purple Hull, Calhoun Purple Hull, Mississippi Cream (nematode resistant).

Crowder types are Mississippi Silver (nematode resistant), Mississippi Purple nematode resistant), Mississippi Shipper, Worthmore, Dixie Lee and Colossus.

Blackeye types are Royal Blackeye, Magnolia (nematode resistant) and Blackeye #5. Cream types are Mississippi Cream, Zipper Cream, Elite, Cream 8 and Cream 40.

Two new pinkeye purple hull types that have performed well are Pinkeye Purple Hull BVR and C. T. Pinkeye Purple Hull. Pinkeye Purple Hull BVR has virus resistance.

Virus problems have severely limited the production of peas. Plant western-grown certified seed to avoid this problem. Plant five to six seeds per foot of row, and thin to three to four plants per foot.