Fast Lady Northern Southern Cow Pea Seeds
Fast Lady Northern Southern Cow Pea Seeds - Vigna unguiculata
- Annual
Full Sun
- Germination Tested October 22, 2025: 92%
- Approximately 35 seeds per packet
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Heat and drought tolerant bean that's an excellent alternative to common beans. A staple in the Southern US, cowpeas are a versatile bean crop. Leaves, small green pods, and dry beans can all be eaten. This variety is adapted to northern regions. Flavour is similar to other beans. Short vines don’t require trellising. Beans form atop vertical poles — easy harvesting! Variety bred by Carol Deppe.
Seeds are grown by our friends Skye and Maple at Tardigrade Seeds on Salt Spring Island, BC.
Tardigrade Seeds: Solutions for Dry Conditions.
Climate change makes farming and gardening a struggle. Tardigrade Seeds specializes in heat and drought-adapted varieties of favourite vegetables and unique international crops. We offer artisanal, natural seeds for changing times. Grown with hope on our Salt Spring Island farm. Start using less water and having more success - Grow Tardigrade Seeds!
Growing: Direct seed (recommended) or transplant (if weather conditions require).
Direct seeding: 1" deep in rows, spaced 2-4" apart and rows 18" apart once soil has warmed up — early summer is ideal.
Transplant: Sow 1" deep with bottom heat, such as a heat mat. Transplant as young as possible to avoid damaging roots. Harden off before transplanting.
Growing tips: Cowpeas require warm temperatures for proper germination and growth. Choose a warm, full-sun location with well-drained soil. Cowpeas do not require high fertility to be productive.
Dry growing (growing without watering or minimal watering): Cowpeas are more drought tolerant than common green beans. If irrigation water is a constraint for you, they are a good crop choice. When growing with no or reduced irrigation, increase the amount of space between plants to 6". Use light application of mulch to reduce evaporation, and keep plants weeded. If you have some irrigation water available, but not enough to water the whole season, time your watering strategically. The best stage of growth to water that will have the best yield improvement is during flowering and early pod set. Conserve your limited water until then.
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This seed has been released under the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) license to keep it out of the hands of multinational seed corporations, and keep it in the hands of the people. The pledge states: “You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict other's use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.” More information on OSSI can be found at osseeds.org.
Growing Instructions
Growing Instructions
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
By placing an order, customers agree to the shipping & refund policies detailed on this page.
Most orders are sent via Canada Post to keep costs low.
Shipping within Canada
We ship seeds in Canada via Canada Post's regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-4 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order, but occasionally letter mail takes up to 6 weeks, especially to the Eastern provinces and rural areas.
Customers can now opt for tracked, express shipping options at checkout if you require faster delivery and/or tracking.
Larger bulbs and plants are usually sent via tracked flat rate box.
Shipping to the US
UPDATE FEB 2, 2026: WE ARE TAKING A BREAK ON ACCEPTING US ORDERS DUE TO ISSUES WITH USPS
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Shipping Internationally
International customers can select tracked or untracked shipping at checkout. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. We are not able to send any live plant materials internationally. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held or confiscated by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.
International shipping countries include: Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom. (List updated Aug 31, 2026)
This list may change without notice. Sometimes Canada Post will not allow us to ship to certain countries due to wars or natural disasters, see this page for delivery service alerts.
Refund Policy
Refunds: We stand behind our seeds, so if for some reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, please reach out to us via email and we will do our best to make it right. Please note that shipping costs are non-refundable.
Cancelled orders: If you wish to cancel an order after purchasing, we may refund your order minus card processing and admin fees at our discretion. We do not accept returns on seeds or plants.
Refused orders: We cannot issue a refund if you refuse to accept or do not claim an order we've mailed to you, or made available for local pickup.
Incorrect addresses: Please double check your mailing address, and let us know ASAP if you've entered an incorrect address at checkout. We may need to charge for additional shipping fees to resend orders.
Ecologically Grown
Ecologically Grown
Seeds are grown ecologically without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
