How to Fertilize Black-Eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas are one of the classic beans of Southern cuisine, and, like all beans, the black-eyed pea can be dried and stored, making it a logical choice for a gardener or hobby farmer looking to offset her grocery bill. Black-eyed pea plants fix its own nitrogen to the soil. However, nitrogen is only one of three main nutrients in fertilizer, so additions of phosphorous and potassium are sometimes required.

Hoe
Rototiller
Soil testing kit
Fertilizer(s) rich in phosphorus and potassium

Instructions

- 1
  Plow or till the soil into 1-foot-deep furrows. Use a hoe for a small area or a rototiller for a large one.
- 2
  Test the soil for acidity prior to planting. Black-eyed peas grow best in neutral or mildly acidic soil, so if the pH rating is below, add an agricultural lime mix to the soil to increase the acidity, following the directions of the manufacturer as to how much lime to use.
- 3
  Scatter fertilizer about the soil, choosing either an organic or chemical fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium, but with a minimum of nitrogen. Chemical fertilizers are labeled by NPK ratings (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), and certain organic fertilizers like bone meal emphasize nutrients other than nitrogen.
- 4
  Turn the soil back over, burying the fertilizer. Wait at least two months before planting the peas.
- 5
  Enhance the fertility of the soil while the black-eyed peas are growing by spreading more phosphate- and potassium-rich fertilizer, but only from sources that will not burn the roots of the bean plants.

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