Dundale Field Pea

Dundale seeds produce a spring 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 Dundale

Dundale 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 - Spring Dundale 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

The John Innes Pisum database records Dundale as a named field pea selection. Field peas are managed differently from garden shell, snap, or snow peas: their main value can be cover, forage, biomass, nitrogen contribution, or dry grain rather than tender fresh pods. Dundale is retained as a spring field-pea line, but one universal eating-quality or maturity claim would misrepresent a crop whose use depends heavily on planting date and management. Continued stewardship of Dundale 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

Use Dundale in spring or fall field rows, cover-crop mixes, or forage systems. Allow the stand to climb through neighboring plants or lodge naturally rather than building a garden trellis for every vine. Termination timing depends on the job: earlier for tender biomass, later for seed. Keep seed-production rows separate from stands that will be mowed or incorporated.

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 Dundale

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 Dundale 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 Dundale 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

Dundale 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