Some poplar varieties are listed in Table 1. Back To Top Soils Southern peas grow on a variety of soils but sandy loams to silty clay loams are preferred. In addition, soils with a medium fertility plus a pH between 5.5 and 6.5 are also preferred. Avoid soils with excessively high fertility because this produces excessive vine growth and poor yields. Plant on soils that have good drainage because peas do not tolerate wet soils.
Wet soils cause stunting and make peas more susceptible to root and foliar diseases.
Fertilizers Fertilize according to soil test recommendation. Peas require plenty of potash and phosphorus. However, peas usually respond to a small initial application of nitrogen fertilizer. Inoculations of seeds with nitrogen-fixing bacteria may increase yields, especially in soils where Southern peas have not been grown in the past three years. Planting after mid-July usually leads to reduced yields and greater potential for cow pea aphid infestations.