The following page includes information on how to grow peas. Buying vegetables can get quite expensive in today's economy. By growing your own vegetables, you can start saving some money. Besides that, peas from your own garden will be more fresh than the ones you buy in the store. To successfully grow your own peas you need to know exactly when, where and how to plant the seeds and when to harvest them.
There are many varieties of peas, but the most common variety you will find in a backyard garden is the snap pea or the snow pea. These grow fast and can be eaten straight from the vine. Peas are used in many dishes such as salads, soups and stir fried varieties. Peas are also a great source of vitamin A, B-1, B-6, C & K. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/green-peas-vitamin-powerhouse
An important factor to keep in mind is the temperature in which to grow peas. Peas stop producing pods when the temperature goes over 70 degrees F. http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_april_1_pea.asp Freezing or canning your peas should be done within hours of harvesting them since it will preserve their freshness. However, peas are best when used right after harvesting them.
Peas were one of the earliest food crops and are believed to have been developed in middle Asia (India and Afghanistan), near the east and in the mountains of Ethiopia. http://www.bestcookingpulses.com/history.html
Planting Peas
In this video you will see how to plant pea seeds from beginning till end. It also shows what a trellis system can look like. This is the system where the plants can climb onto. The seeds are set up 3 inches apart and basically pushed into the ground. The video also gives advice on what to look for in soil that is used for planting pea seeds.
Step 1: Where, When And How To Grow Your Peas
Before you can start growing your peas, you need to know where and when to grow them.
Where: Make sure to pick a site that gets plenty of sun and where the soil has a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. http://thegardenersrake.com/garden-vegetables-tips-for-growing-garden-peas Peas will do well with partial shade, especially during the hottest part of the day. Since peas do not tolerate wet soil, make sure the soil drains well. Use compost to create the right texture. It also helps to grow peas in raised beds this way the soil can be amended easily.
When: Peas are a cool season crop and produce poorly in hot weather. They are best to be planted in early spring. They can survive in weather of 40 degrees F minimum. http://thegardenersrake.com/garden-vegetables-tips-for-growing-garden-peas
How: Before planting your seeds, you will need to loosen the soil to at least 10 inches deep and mix compost into it. Provide a trellis, tee pee stand or netting for the peas to grow onto. Most pea plants grow about 3 feet tall and some varieties even grow over 6 feet tall. They need the extra support. Plant the seeds in a double row so that you end up with a row of seeds on each side of the trellis. Seeds should be planted 2 inches apart and 1 inch deep. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Growing-Peas.aspx
Step 2: What You Will Need
Planting your own peas is not difficult as long as you follow the instructions given. Before you can start planting your seeds, you will need to have the following items available:
Also make sure to pick the seeds you want to plant. There are 3 types of peas:
- English or garden peas. Only the seeds of these are eaten.
- Chinese or snow peas. These are eaten pod and all
- Snap peas. Both pod and seed are edible.
Step 3: Handling And Harvesting Your Peas
Now that your seeds are planted, you will need to know how to care for them and finally how to harvest them.
Handling: Make sure you get rid of any weeds that appear on your soil. You want the peas to grow in clean soil. Use your hands to pull out any weeds. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1617.html You also want to water the seeds overhead, early in the morning to prevent diseases that might occur when the leaves stay wet overnight. Using an organic mulch will maintain the needed moisture and reduce weed problems. Put the mulch 2 inches into the soil, when the plants are about 12 inches tall. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Growing-Peas.aspx?page=3
Harvesting: Garden peas are best when they are a little bit immature because when they are fully matured they can turn hard and lose the sweet taste. The best time to harvest your peas is three weeks after they started flowering. http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_april_1b_pea.asp Use your hands to harvest. The peas at the bottom of the plant are usually ready first, so harvest those first and work your way up as time progresses. Cut off the top of the plants when they stop producing peas. Leave the roots in the ground to compost for next year.
References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Mice eat the seeds of peas faster than you can sow them. If you have mice in your garden you can try coating the seeds with paraffin or some even buy a cat to fight the mice.
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Fact:
Water young pea plants with about 1/2 inch of water a week. 1 Inch if the soil is sandy. Once the plant flowers, water it with 1 inch regardless of the soil.
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Fact:
It can help to plant a short and tall variety of peas at the same time. The short variety will mature before the tall ones and will help support it.
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Fact:
If your pea plant refuses to grow onto the trellis, use a piece of rope or pantyhose to tie it to the trellis and to force it to grow onto it.
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Fact:
To insure strong germination, soak pea seeds overnight in water before planting them.
