Peas are usually pretty difficult to grow after 10 years storage. I would suggest starting them in cell trays where you can control the moisture and growing medium. If any sprout, then set them out in the garden and give them normal care. Cowpeas are among the most heat tolerant plants on earth, they are happiest at 90 to 100 degrees. Other heat lovers are Okra, Watermelon, and Sweet Potato. DarJones

I read that they grow better if you plant them directly into the soil, but the two I have now were started in small 6-packs and transferred to larger pots before being put into the soil, and they grew just fine. I planted a few seeds directly into the ground and two have come up and are growing well, I planted a few fresh dried seeds from my tree, but they did not come up. One thing you need to know is that they take a long time to germinate, even if you soak them first. My first ones took almost three weeks to show themselves, and from what I read, it isn't unusual for them to take a month. I was hoping the fresher ones I planted would come up quicker, but they haven't done so yet.

Sultry, I grew them few years back. I don't remember how the seeds look like but it is easy to find out if you go to the Caribbean or Latin market and compare the dried peas from there. I got mine from UCF, there are few varieties out there, one of them is a dwarf. Mine were productive little tree like with pretty flowers. They are sold dried, in a can or frozen if you want to try them with the rice dish. I sprouted them straight in the soil with no amendments, very easy. Silvia

Pigeon peas don't like to be transplanted, and will not get as large if they are. My first one was transplanted and it only got about 7-8 feet tall, but that's plenty enough to get a lot of peas. I planted my new ones straight into the ground and one is about 10 feet tall now and just keeps growing. A couple of them just have hardly grown at all. They bear well for about 2-3 years, then they start to decline. Usually, though, they don't last that long up here. Mine froze in its second winter when we had a hard freeze. They may get to 20 feet in the wild, but most people who grow them in the garden keep them short enough so it's not so hard to pick the peas.