How to Grow and Overwinter Field Peas as an Edible Cover Crop

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I’ve been growing cover crops for years as a way to mulch my empty garden beds and improve soil fertility, and if you’ve read my other guide on growing fava beans as a fall cover crop, you know I’m a big fan of this practice!

But today I want to show you how to grow another type of cover crop that’s not only fast-growing, low-maintenance, and super cold-hardy, it fixes nitrogen in the soil, thereby minimizing the amount of “outside” fertilizer you need to add.

So what is this awesome cover crop? Peas—specifically, Austrian winter peas, my favorite field pea for fall planting.

[{"selector":"#anim-1c40801b-37d3-4e81-b8d9-f9b1b293b9cc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f842d8c4-c6e1-402d-9980-73279cdac9ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -95.93577%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Cover crops are meant to grow freely without support, and the easiest way to plant them is by broadcast seeding—or scattering, as I call it. Here’s how to plant a cover crop scatter garden: Learn more

1. Inoculate.

[{"selector":"#anim-916782d6-2ddf-4bd8-b8ec-bada4d2c3b3a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f6add4a-2be8-4fd9-8cba-9320d09f0324","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -96.23075%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Coat your pea seeds in soil inoculant. Learn more

2. Sow.

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3. Rake.

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4. Water. (And optionally, mulch.)

[{"selector":"#anim-c710f46c-2568-4e11-a451-94471bc40f81","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80325636-23c9-49e1-9b2a-ee63c1187d7f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -96.23075%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Water the seeds in thoroughly. If you live in a dry climate that doesn’t get much rain in fall, add a light layer of straw mulch (no more than 1 inch) to help hold in moisture. Learn more

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