Pigeon Pea (cajanus cajan) 30 seeds

Pigeon Pea, aka Gandules, is a popular perennial legume originating in India, made popular centuries ago in Africa and now being grown and eaten throughout the Caribbean as a staple protein crop. Gandules beans can be harvested and eaten green (shelled, not whole with the pod), or can be allowed to dry on the plant and cooked as a dry bean. In India they are used in popular Dhaal dishes, and in the Caribbean they are cooked with rice for the popular dish "arroz con gandules". 

The plant is popular in permaculture gardens as it is quite drought resistant, tolerant to poor sandy soils, and has many uses. As a perennial legume, pigeon pea can be used to fix nitrogen in a garden with poor quality soil, produces protein rich food, can be used as a forage crop for animals, and also has edible flowers. The tropical woody plant can grow to be up to 4 meters tall, so its best planted in the ground as part of your edible landscaping or perennial plant guild, and not in an annual vegetable bed. If growing outside of the tropics we recommend treating this plant as an annual, perhaps using it to fix nitrogen while creating biomass for composting and bean pods for eating before it succumbs to cold weather. 

Planting and growing tips: its quite common for legumes to be direct seeded (the seed goes in the ground where it will be permanently growing) however we have had good luck with transplanting pigeon pea from pots to their final growing spot. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep in premoistened potting mix in a small pot or seedling tray. Keep cells moist in partial shade until germination, when they can be moved to full sun exposure. Plant seedlings out at about 3 - 4 weeks old. Pigeon Pea is a shrub/ small bushy fast growing annual tree so make sure to give it plenty of space and sun. Harvest pea pods when they have dried on the plant. 

All seeds were harvested from our organic urban farm and plant nursery in 2019. Seed packages are hand silkscreened by Gold Teeth Brooklyn, a handmade stationery company based in Los Angeles. 

Seeds have been tested for reliable germination in our nursery at 80 degree daytime temperatures. We recommend using them within 1 year of date of purchase.

Please note: because we are a working farm we only ship seed orders once weekly so please be patient with your package. If you need a rush shipment please email us and we will do our best to accommodate.