How to Grow Pigeon Peas | Planting & Establishment

Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan)

A pigeon pea bush with yellow and red bicolor flowers — “Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (48879921096)” by Dinesh Valke from Thane, India is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

2 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Ready in
115–155 days
Site
6+ hours of sun, soil pH 4.5–8.4
Biggest risk
Fusarium wilt

In the UK, pigeon peas are ready to harvest 115–155 days after planting.

Pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan) — Erect annual or short-lived perennial, usually grown as an annual.

Unlike an annual crop, the work here is front-loaded into establishment: get the planting and the site right and the same plants crop for several seasons.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.

Soil & Growing Conditions

A row of mature pigeon pea shrubs — “Cajanus cajan canopy” by Boesenbergia is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Cajanus cajan canopy” by Boesenbergia is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Water: Drought-resistant once established via its deep taproot; needs full sun and no waterlogging for successful pod development; little response to fertiliser and tolerates low soil phosphorus (USDA NRCS)

Soil pH range

4.5 8.4

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

A young pigeon pea plant growing in a field — “तूर पिक Pigeon pea crop (Cajanus cajan)” by MGB CEE is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“तूर पिक Pigeon pea crop (Cajanus cajan)” by MGB CEE is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Sowing and establishment 0 Sow seed 1.5in deep in rows 1-3ft apart at 8-10lb/acre (USDA NRCS); UF/IFAS Extension gives the same 8-10lb/acre rate in slightly wider 3-4ft rows, thinned to 12-18in between plants. Needs a soil temperature of at least 64F (18C) at planting or establishment slows; seedlings emerge within about 3 weeks but grow slowly, so weeds must be closely managed for the first 6 weeks (USDA NRCS).
Vegetative growth 3 Deep, fast-growing taproot develops and forms nitrogen-fixing nodules with naturally occurring Rhizobium already present in most soils that have grown legumes recently, so inoculant is not usually necessary. Grow in full sun with no waterlogging; fertilisation is not usually needed since the plant tolerates low soil phosphorus (USDA NRCS).
Flowering 6 A short-day plant needing about 12.5 hours of daylight to begin flowering; takes 65-80 days from sowing to flower. Bi-laterally symmetrical, bell-shaped, yellow or yellow-and-red flowers form in the angle between stem and leaf (USDA NRCS).
Fruiting and harvest 8 A further 50-75 days after flowering for seed to mature. Pods are pointed and mottled red, and do not shatter in the field so they can withstand weather damage. Harvest after first frost, once leaf drop makes the pods easier to reach; in Florida this falls in October-November (USDA NRCS; UF/IFAS Extension).

Quick Facts

A pigeon pea bush with yellow and red bicolor flowers — “Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (48879921096)” by Dinesh Valke from Thane, India is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (48879921096)” by Dinesh Valke from Thane, India is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 4.5 - 8.4
Sunlight 6-8 hours direct sun
Germination temp 18C
Optimal growing temp 18-30C
Minimum survivable temp 5C
Time to harvest 115-155 days
Soil texture Wide range of soil types (USDA NRCS)
Drainage Well-drained; will not survive waterlogged conditions (USDA NRCS)
Lifecycle Erect annual or short-lived perennial, usually grown as an annual; under good management can persist up to five years, though the stem grows woodier and seed production declines with age (UF/IFAS Extension; USDA NRCS Plant Guide).
Edible parts seeds, pods

At a Glance

Close-up of a yellow and red pigeon pea flower — “Cajanus cajan kz01” by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Cajanus cajan kz01” by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Cajanus cajan Pigeon Pea Fusarium wilt (pigeon p… Southern green stink bug Cutworms Thrips Capsid bugs Heliothis spp. (pod bor… DISEASES PESTS

Harvest & Storage

Pigeon pea flower buds opening on the plant — “Cajanus cajan kz02” by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Cajanus cajan kz02” by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: Pods are two-valved, pointed and mottled red, 2-3.5in (5-9cm) long, containing 2-9 round or oval seeds that may be light beige to dark brown; pods do not shatter in the field and can withstand weather damage. Harvest after first frost, once leaf drop eases access to the pods; methods are similar to soybean and can be mechanised with a combine (USDA NRCS). In Florida, harvest falls October-November (UF/IFAS Extension). Sowing-to-seed-maturity of 115-155 days is derived by summing USDA NRCS's separate flowering (65-80 days) and post-flowering seed-maturation (50-75 further days) figures.

Storage

Dry seed stores well as a pulse crop; unprocessed raw seed should not be eaten by humans or livestock since it contains tannins and trypsin inhibitors -- cooking removes the trypsin inhibitors (USDA NRCS).

Diseases

Pigeon pea foliage showing the trifoliate leaf pattern — “Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (48879769051)” by Dinesh Valke from Thane, India is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (48879769051)” by Dinesh Valke from Thane, India is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Fusarium wilt (pigeon pea)
moderate

Fusarium sp.

USDA NRCS states C. cajan "can develop Fusarium wilt, a common fungal disease" -- named only at genus level in the source, with no further detail on severity or regional prevalence given, so the pathogen is recorded…

Pests

A cluster of pigeon pea flowers and buds among the leaves — “Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (48880113272)” by Dinesh Valke from Thane, India is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (48880113272)” by Dinesh Valke from Thane, India is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Southern green stink bug
low

Nezara viridula

Named among the "other pests" listed by USDA NRCS alongside cutworms, thrips and mirids (no severity grading given in the source).

Cutworms
low

Noctuidae

Named among the "other pests" listed by USDA NRCS (Noctuidae, no severity grading given).

Thrips
low

Thysanoptera

Named among the "other pests" listed by USDA NRCS (Thysanoptera, no severity grading given).

Capsid bugs
low

Miridae

Named as "mirids (Miridae)" among the "other pests" listed by USDA NRCS (no severity grading given).

Heliothis spp. (pod borer moths)
high

Heliothis spp.

Named directly by USDA NRCS as attracting Heliothis spp., which "can significantly decrease yields"; the source separately notes C. cajan has been used as a trap crop for Heliothis spp. in affected cotton.

References

  1. Erect annual/short-lived perennial 3-10ft; deeply rooted, wide adaptability on semiarid land; trifoliate leaves, yellow/yellow-red flowers; pods green and pointed with reddish mottling. Seed sown 8-10lb/acre, rows 3-4ft apart, thinned to 12-18in. Some types killed by frost, others hardy. Florida: plant May, harvest Oct-Nov. Uses: human food (fresh shell beans and dry beans), fodder, browse, green manure, grain cash crop.

  2. Detailed description, adaptation (soil pH 4.5-8.4, well-drained, 65-86F optimal, tolerates >95F, hardy to 41F, frost defoliates), establishment (1.5in deep, 1-3ft rows, 8-10lb/acre, needs 64F+ soil temp), management (annual or perennial to 5yr, harvest after first frost, resistant to root lesion nematodes), pests (Heliothis spp., cutworms, thrips, mirids, green stink bugs, pod borers, storage bean weevils), disease (Fusarium wilt), flowering biology (short-day, 12.5hr, 65-80 days to flower + 50-75 days to seed maturity), uses and toxicity note (raw seed contains tannins/trypsin inhibitors, removed by cooking).

2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do pigeon peas take to grow?

Typically 115–155 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do pigeon peas need?

A pH of about 4.5–8.4. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect pigeon peas?

Our data links 1 disease and 5 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

This page gives you the thresholds; the planner turns them into your own calendar. It works from what you can observe and measure in your garden rather than from dates written for somebody else’s latitude.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

Science-based growing guides · Thresholds that hold in any climate

This guide states the conditions the plant itself responds to — soil temperature, frost tolerance, day length — rather than dates, because the same calendar month means opposite seasons in the northern and southern hemispheres. Anything genuinely restricted to one part of the world is named as such rather than presented as universal. Written and maintained by our editorial team against international horticultural research and extension sources.

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Last verified 2026-09-03