Most cowpeas are intercropped with other food crops such as sorghum, maize, millet and cassava. Pure stands are sometimes established near homesteads for their leaves to be eaten as vegetable.
Spacing in pure stands is very variable, very often 30 cm× 40 cm in off-season and 40 cm × 50 cm for early and erect varieties. A wider spacing of 50 cm × 75 cm for late or spreading varieties with 2 or 3 seeds per hill are commonly used. In some instances, spacing of 60 cm × 30 cm is also reasonable. Broadcasting is the more common method of sowing amongst rural farmers in Africa and South Sudan in particular where cowpea is sown with other food crops.The seeds are planted in 2 to 5 cm deep. However planting, at 3 to 4 cm gives good germination hence plant stand.