VuHy-Celebrity
About this variety
VuHy-Celebrity is an F1 hybrid yard-long cowpea bred for vigor and a long, dependable harvest. Because it's indeterminate, the vine keeps growing and producing as long as conditions stay warm, rather than fruiting once and stopping — so a short row can keep producing for weeks.
Pods are dark green and glossy, medium-long, and borne in tidy clusters of two to three per node, making them easy to spot and pick. They stay tender with good flavor and good post-harvest keeping quality — a favorite for stir-fries, curries, and fresh-market bunches. Pick young and often for the best eating quality and to keep new flowers coming.
Grow guide
How to grow
Site & soil
Pick a well-drained site with good water retention — cowpea dislikes standing water. Work to a fine tilth, clear old residue and weeds, mix in well-rotted compost or aged manure, and pre-irrigate if the soil is dry.
Sowing & spacing
Direct-seed by dibbling one seed per hole ¾–1¼" deep, spacing plants ~18–24" apart (45 cm in medium soil, 60 cm in heavy) in rows ~47" (120 cm) apart. Seed rate is about 1.0–1.2 kg/acre. Staking or a trellis is required to reach full yield and keep pods clean.
Feeding
Cowpea fixes some of its own nitrogen and needs only modest fertility — a common US guideline is no more than 40–50 lb/acre of nitrogen. Too much nitrogen pushes vine growth over pod set. Base phosphorus and potash on a soil test.
Watering
Shallow-rooted, so light and frequent beats deep and infrequent — roughly every 8–10 days, adjusted for soil and heat. Consistent moisture during flowering and pod fill has the biggest impact on yield.
Harvest
First picking begins 48–55 days after sowing. Pick by hand to your market's preferred size — smaller, tender pods for fresh markets. Picking every 2–3 days in peak season keeps the vine flowering and maximizes total yield.
When to sow · by zone
| Zones 9–11 | Sow Feb–Mar | |
| Zone 8 | Sow late Mar–Apr | |
| Zones 6–7 | Sow late Apr–May | |
| Zones 3–5 | Late May–Jun · start indoors |
| Zones 9–11 | S. California, S. & central Florida, S. Texas, Gulf Coast, Arizona low desert, Hawaii |
| Zone 8 | Coastal Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, central Texas, coastal Pacific NW, interior California |
| Zones 6–7 | Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mid-Atlantic (PA/MD/NJ), Ohio Valley |
| Zones 3–5 | Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming, New England, upstate New York, high Mountain West |
Seed treatment & handling
This seed has been treated with Thiamethoxam (1.5 mg ai/g seed; EPA Reg. No. 100-941) and Thiram (0.4 mg ai/g seed; EPA Reg. No. 264-929).
Harmful if swallowed, absorbed through skin, or inhaled. Do not use treated seed for food, feed, or oil purposes. Wash hands thoroughly after handling. Keep out of reach of children and domestic animals.
Untreated seed for organic and no-spray growers is coming soon.
Good to know before you buy
- This is an F1 hybrid — saved seed won't breed true, so buy fresh seed each season for consistent results.
- Staking or trellising isn't optional for full yield — plan your support before planting.
- The long-season, continuous-picking habit suits weekly market tables and grocery accounts alike.
Sourcing
Sourced from Ankur Seeds, 27 New Cotton Market Layout, Nagpur 440018, India. Packaged & distributed by Harvest Goals LLC, Fremont, CA · +1 (650) 305-5334.
Origin India · 5 g · F1 Hybrid · Non-GMO · For planting purposes only, not for human consumption.