PEA-ASPARAGUS-SPREADER
PEA-ASPARAGUS-SPREADER
A$3.50
Availability: 45 in stock
Seeds Per Pack: 10
Lotus Tetragonolobus
PEA-ASPARAGUS-CLIMBER Heirloom vegetable from the 16th century, attractive with its pretty red flowers and edible fluted pods. It is an annual native to the Mediterranean region. Also commonly called Winged Pea, Square Podded Pea, Winged Lotus, this annual plant is easy to grow from seed. It blooms with sweet, pea-like, deep-red to crimson flowers that grow in pairs above small trifoliate leaves. Following the flower pollination, it develops four-winged seedpods that can grow up to 8 cm by late summer. A small vine or scrambler growing a maximum 50cm on a support. Pods may be eaten raw, boiled, sautéed, steamed, tempura battered & deep fried or pickled. The flowers can be added to salads & as an edible garnish. Pods allowed to develop beyond 5cm quickly turn fibrous but can be left to provide seed for next season.
To improve germination either rub seeds with sandpaper or soak in hot water until the seeds swell. Harvest the pods when 10 – 20 cm long. Use like green beans. Spring planting.
Guaranteed Safe Checkout
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
Plant Height
150-300 cm (5-10 feet)
Season of Interest
Summer to Autumn
Temperature Range
20-35°C (68-95°F)
Determine / Indeterminate
Annual / Perennial / Biennial
Perennial / Annual in colder climates
Frost Hardy / Tender
Tender
Full Sun / Part Sun / Shade
Full Sun
Sow Direct / Raise Seedlings
Raise Seedlings
Soil
Well-draining, fertile soil
pH
6.0 - 7.5
Soil Temperature
18-25°C (64-77°F)
Seed Preparation
Soak seeds in warm water for a few hours before planting
Sowing Depth
2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 inches)
Plant Spacing
30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Row spacing
60-90 cm (24-36 inches)
Watering
Regular watering, keeping the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged
Germination Time (Days)
7-14 days
Harvest Time (Days)
70-90 days (pods), longer for tuberous roots and mature seeds
Good Companion Plants
Corn, Pole Beans, Lettuce, Radishes, Marigolds
Bad Companion Plants
Garlic and Onions, Other Legumes
Pests
Aphids, Caterpillars, Leafhoppers, Bean Fly
Diseases
Powdery Mildew, Anthracnose, Rust, Bacterial Blight
More About Us
When I started this journey in 2009, I found nothing existed commercially, that was reasonably priced and easy to use. There was a homemade system which I also found was not that user-friendly.
Then a friend of mine told me about a homemade method she used. However, when I tried her method, I found this also didn’t suit my needs, as it too had flaws that I considered where important. It did not keep vermin out, did not have a lockable lid and (to me) looked unsightly in the garden
