Any thoughts on the more commonly mentioned Austrian Winter Peas vs other varieties of winter peas? I was reading about "white flowered" winter pea varieties and based on what I've read they sound like a better choice than AWP due to claims of better production, higher palatability and improved winter hardiness for about the same price as AWP.
One of my lease-mates recently planted a bag of Tecomate Max Attract. I noticed that it contains Nutrigreen Winter Peas instead of AWP. I checked it out and it's a white flowering winter pea that Tecomcate claims are an "upgrade" over AWP.
I saw a bag of fall deer blend from MBS Seed that includes Windham Winter Peas, which are advertised as a white flowering, tannin-free winter pea with higher sweetness and winter hardiness over AWP. Sounds sort of like a white oak vs red oak kind of difference.
Hancockseed.com sells AWP and some other varieties of winter peas, all of which are about the same price per pound. Below is what they have to say about the FrostMaster and Whistler varieties.
FrostMaster Winter Peas - These peas are a small seeded forage pea, yet will grow into a long vine with large leaves producing good tonnage of very palatable forage. FrostMaster Winter Peas have good winter-hardiness and are capable of out producing Austrian Winter Peas. FrostMaster Winter Peas are white flowered, which indicates the absence of tannin. Tannin is a compound that creates a bitter taste in plants. Due to the lack in tannin, FrostMaster peas are very sweet, unlike the majority of winter peas and spring peas.
Whistler Winter Peas - Whistler Winter Peas are a semi-leafless, SWEETER WHITE flowered pea with yellow cotyledons. They are winter hardy down to 0 degrees F. Whistler winter peas are white flowered, with a very low anthocyanin content (the reddish, purple color on flowers, leaves, and stems). Studies have shown that the lower the anthocyanin content, the higher the palatability of forage. Austrian winter peas are purple flowered, and have a high anthocyanin content. Sweeter feed means higher intake, higher weight gain, and more profits.
One of my lease-mates recently planted a bag of Tecomate Max Attract. I noticed that it contains Nutrigreen Winter Peas instead of AWP. I checked it out and it's a white flowering winter pea that Tecomcate claims are an "upgrade" over AWP.
I saw a bag of fall deer blend from MBS Seed that includes Windham Winter Peas, which are advertised as a white flowering, tannin-free winter pea with higher sweetness and winter hardiness over AWP. Sounds sort of like a white oak vs red oak kind of difference.
Hancockseed.com sells AWP and some other varieties of winter peas, all of which are about the same price per pound. Below is what they have to say about the FrostMaster and Whistler varieties.
FrostMaster Winter Peas - These peas are a small seeded forage pea, yet will grow into a long vine with large leaves producing good tonnage of very palatable forage. FrostMaster Winter Peas have good winter-hardiness and are capable of out producing Austrian Winter Peas. FrostMaster Winter Peas are white flowered, which indicates the absence of tannin. Tannin is a compound that creates a bitter taste in plants. Due to the lack in tannin, FrostMaster peas are very sweet, unlike the majority of winter peas and spring peas.
Whistler Winter Peas - Whistler Winter Peas are a semi-leafless, SWEETER WHITE flowered pea with yellow cotyledons. They are winter hardy down to 0 degrees F. Whistler winter peas are white flowered, with a very low anthocyanin content (the reddish, purple color on flowers, leaves, and stems). Studies have shown that the lower the anthocyanin content, the higher the palatability of forage. Austrian winter peas are purple flowered, and have a high anthocyanin content. Sweeter feed means higher intake, higher weight gain, and more profits.
