How to Grow Pigeon Peas UK | Regional Planting Calendar

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

Plant: Early March to late March
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 go in the ground early March to late March, and are ready to harvest 115–155 days after planting.

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

Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: sowing early March, and that same window applies across all 4 regions covered here.

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

Regional Planting Calendar

Region	Sow
Southern England derived	early March to late March
Midlands derived	early March to late March
Northern England derived	early March to late March
Scotland derived	early March to late March

Rows marked derived are interpolated between regions our sources do state, because no source we consulted gives a figure for that region specifically. They are deliberately wider to reflect that uncertainty.

Southern England - detail & sources

Neither RHS (whose Cajanus cajan page carries no cultivation detail) nor the two US sources address UK growing directly. This window is derived from the sourced facts that the plant is frost-tender (frost defoliates it) and needs a soil temperature of at least 64F (18C) to establish well (USDA NRCS) -- applied as one UK-wide indoor-sowing window (March) across all four sub-regions, with planting out only once frost risk and cold soil have passed, consistent with how this catalogue treats other frost-tender warm-season crops.

Midlands - detail & sources

Northern England - detail & sources

Scotland - detail & sources

Quick Facts

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.

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).

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.

Pigeon Pea Photo Gallery

Pigeon pea bush in flower

A pigeon pea bush with its characteristic yellow and red bicolor flowers.

Pigeon pea flower

Close-up of a yellow and red pigeon pea flower.

Pigeon pea trifoliate leaves on a stem — “Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (48879235628)” by Dinesh Valke from Thane, India is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons — “Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (48879235628)” by Dinesh Valke from Thane, India is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Trifoliate leaf detail

Pigeon pea's slender, pointed trifoliate leaves.

Young plant in a field

A young pigeon pea plant growing in a field.

Mature shrub row

A row of mature pigeon pea shrubs.

Flower cluster

A cluster of pigeon pea flowers and buds among the leaves.

Flower buds opening

Pigeon pea flower buds opening on the plant.

Foliage detail

Pigeon pea foliage showing the trifoliate leaf pattern.

Plant in a garden bed

A pigeon pea plant growing in a garden bed.

References

University of Florida IFAS Extension - Pea, Pigeon -- Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (HS641)

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.
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Cape May Plant Materials Center - Plant Guide: Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan)

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

When should I sow pigeon peas in the UK?

In Southern England, from early March. In Scotland, wait until early March. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.

When do I sow pigeon peas?

Sow early March to late March, at around 18°C for germination.

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

Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.

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Last verified 2026-09-03