Austrian Winter Field Pea

Austrian Winter seeds produce an austrian winter field pea. Plants have a vining or climbing habit. Plants typically reach 49–60 in. Seeds generally emerge in 7–10 Days at 45–60 °F. Harvest timing is based on flowering, pod development, dry-down, and the intended use rather than one unsupported day range.

About Austrian Winter

Austrian Winter is sold as a field pea selection. The principal color is green, and the harvest form is Pods and seed managed for cover crop, forage, or dry-grain use. Primarily selected for field, forage, cover-crop, or seed use rather than fresh eating quality. Best uses include cover crops, forage mixtures, soil cover, nitrogen contribution, and seed production. Other seed records may list it as Pea, Pea Seeds - Winter - Austrian Field Peas.

• Scientific name:Pisum sativum L.
• Life cycle:Annual
• Planting season:Spring/Fall
• Growth habit:Vining/Climbing
• Plant height:49–60 in
• Sunlight:Full sun
• Seed depth:1 in
• Germination:7–10 Days at 45–60 °F
• Spacing:3 in between plants; 18 in between rows
• Soil:Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5
• Water:Moderate
• Support:No-Support
• Reproductive type:Open-Pollinated (OP)
• Harvest form:Pods and seed managed for cover crop, forage, or dry-grain use
• Maturity:Use crop-stage cues rather than one unsupported day range

History and seedkeeping context

Austrian Winter is a winter field pea used for cover, forage, soil protection, and nitrogen contribution. SARE distinguishes winter field peas from spring types by planting season and winter survival. This crop is not a sweet garden shell pea and should not be marketed through fresh-pod flavor claims. Its performance depends on establishment date, winter conditions, companion crops, and the intended termination stage. Continued stewardship of Austrian Winter depends on keeping the original source, lot, year, growing location, isolation method, representative plant count, and harvest traits together. Those records help future seedkeepers distinguish the named variety from similar market classes while preserving both its useful traits and its documented history.

Why this variety is distinct

Sow in a field row or cover-crop mix and manage the stand for the job: living winter cover, spring biomass, forage, or seed. The vines can climb through a small grain companion without a built trellis. No single maturity number is shown because termination and seed harvest occur at different stages and vary widely by climate.

Harvest and kitchen or field use

Manage harvest or termination according to the field purpose: tender biomass, forage, dry grain, or seed. The crop is described as Pods and seed managed for cover crop, forage, or dry-grain use. Cover crops, forage mixtures, soil cover, nitrogen contribution, and seed production. Primarily selected for field, forage, cover-crop, or seed use rather than fresh eating quality.

How to grow Austrian Winter

Direct sow 1 in deep during the spring/fall planting window. Keep the seed zone near 45–60 °F and evenly moist until emergence, normally 7–10 Days. Grow in full sun with loamy soil near pH 6.0–6.5. Space plants 3 in apart and rows 18 in apart. Keep the soil evenly moist through flowering and pod fill without leaving the root zone saturated. No trellis or staking is normally required, although low edging can keep heavily loaded plants off the soil. Plants typically reach 49–60 in.

Season care

• Direct sow Austrian Winter during the spring/fall planting window while soil is workable and before sustained heat.
• Keep the seedbed evenly moist during emergence, but do not leave large legume seed in saturated soil.
• No trellis or staking is normally required, although low edging can keep heavily loaded plants off the soil.
• Manage harvest or termination according to the field purpose: tender biomass, forage, dry grain, or seed. The crop is described as Pods and seed managed for cover crop, forage, or dry-grain use.
• Judge readiness by crop stage and intended use rather than assigning an unsupported calendar number.

Maturity and harvest timing

No single day range is shown; use the intended cover, forage, biomass, grain, or seed stage to schedule harvest or termination. Manage harvest or termination according to the field purpose: tender biomass, forage, dry grain, or seed. The crop is described as Pods and seed managed for cover crop, forage, or dry-grain use.

Saving seed

The crop is largely self-pollinating, but occasional insect-carried crossing can occur among compatible varieties. Save from several healthy, true-to-type Austrian Winter plants rather than one exceptional individual. Mark seed plants before the eating harvest, remove clear off-types before they contribute pollen, and let seed reach full biological maturity. Shell only fully dry pods, discard moldy or insect-damaged seed, and dry the cleaned seed again before storage. Label the lot with crop, variety, source, year, location, plant count, isolation method, and selection traits. Keep the original packet and lot history with the saved seed so later grow-outs can be compared without relying only on memory or seed color.

Common problems

Austrian Winter is most vulnerable when warm weather overtakes the cool-season crop. Watch for aphids, pea weevil injury, powdery mildew, wilt, root rots, and bird or rodent feeding. Plant early in suitable soil, rotate away from peas and related legumes, keep foliage dry when practical, and remove heavily diseased plants. Poor emergence in cold saturated soil is not corrected by adding more water. Heat-stressed flowers may abort, and overmature pods quickly lose eating quality.

Frequently asked questions