Windham Winter Pea
Windham winter pea offers improved winter hardiness. It is white flowering and tannin-free.
Characteristics
Windham is recognized as having improved winter hardiness over Austrian-type winter peas. Windham has a dwarf growth habit and an upright canopy. Windham is a white flowering tannin-free pea, making it sweeter than Austrian-type peas. Wildlife and foraging animals prefer these sweeter peas over purple flowering varieties. Windham was developed in the Northwest as a joint venture between the USDA_ARS and three universities in Idaho, Washington, and Montana.
Cover Crop Performance
In the October of 2019, researchers with the University of Tennessee planted extensive cover crop trials in three Tennessee locations – Knoxville, Spring Hill, and Milan. In addition to assessments of nitrogen content and release, assessment were conducted for ground cover, biomass and height. The data below reflects averages of all three sites. Site-specific data and complete results available upon request.
University of Tennessee
Biomass, Canopy Cover, and Height
Three Location Average
|2019-2020
| Variety | Biomass (Tons DM/A) | Canopy Cover (%) | Height (in) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr | May | Nov | Feb | Nov | Feb | Apr | May | |
| WyoWinter | 0.8 | 1.9 | 7 | 43 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 26 |
| Windham | 0.6 | 1.8 | 7 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 18 |
University of Tennessee
Nitrogen Content/Estimated Nitrogen Release
Three Location Average
|2019-2020
| Variety | Biomass (Tons DM/A) | Total Nitrogen (%) | Est. N Released: April Termination (lbs/ac) | Est. N Released: May Termination (lbs/ac) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | May | April | May | 2 wks. | 4 wks. | 12 wks | 2 wks. | 4 wks. | 12 wks | |
| WyoWinter | 0.8 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 4.0 | 24.7 | 3.3 | 8.0 | 59.3 |
| Windham | 0.6 | 1.8 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 19.7 | 3.0 | 7.3 | 56.7 |
Winter Hardiness
In 2010-11, Windham was evaluated in Central Ohio alongside Austrian winter peas. According to Richard Leslie, who observed the plots on May 12th, 2011, “Windham Winter Peas interseeded in rows with Daikon Radish, survived the winter (as they did in another trial I observed) while Austrian Winter Peas did not. Windham Winter Peas had spring rhizobium nodules on the roots of the spring plants I dug.”
Visual Pea Seed Differences
Windhams are larger than Austrians. Windhams and Austrians have yellow cotyledon (insides).
Windham Pea Seeds
Austrian Pea Seeds
Coat for Optimal Performance
For optimal performance, Windham should be inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viceae. This is best achieved with Nitro-Coat®.
Planting Instructions
Seeding Rate
Planting Dates
Early fall
Planting Map
Planting Depth
1-3"
Optimal pH
6.0-7.5