We regularly quote our ebook “Meals Grown Proper, In Your Yard” and say that contemporary snap peas are a motive unto themselves for having your personal backyard. I’ve by no means eaten a pea that has tasted nearly as good as those I develop in my house backyard and I wish to you’ve got the identical expertise. I’ve created this submit to assist reply your pea-growing questions and set you up for fulfillment!
After studying the Q+A piece of this submit, for those who nonetheless have questions on rising peas, or simply wish to be taught extra, scroll right down to the underside the place you’ll see hyperlinks to older blogs and podcast episodes we’ve created on the subject!
Pea Q & A
As with our earlier submit, the next questions are commons inquiries that we’ve been receiving from our followers on Instagram:
To maintain the Q & A so simple as attainable, I’m utilizing the next pointers:
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This weblog addresses snap and shelling peas (aka. edible peas. Candy peas are a unique beast).
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Peas fall into two basic classes. Shell peas are usually grown to maturity on the vine after which the shell is eliminated earlier than consuming. Snap peas are harvested earlier than they’re absolutely mature on the vine and often eaten entire with the shell on.
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The questions on planting timing have been particular to the Pacific Northwest, so I’ll handle them inside that context. Broadly talking, peas mature* in about 58 days and are a cool-weather crop.
*see final query in submit!
Q: How shut collectively are you able to seed/transplant snap, snow and shelling peas?
A: Pea crops ought to be spaced 1-2 inches aside. Peas can develop nicely when spaced shut collectively, so don’t be afraid to pack them in a bit of. For those who do plant them this shut collectively, house rows a number of ft aside. Over-planting reduces air circulation and makes your crops extra prone to mildew.
Q: When are you able to plant peas within the PNW?
A: You possibly can set out transplants as early as late February and as late as mid-Might. Direct-seed peas mid-March by way of late April. They don’t germinate or develop nicely when temperatures get above 75°F, so it’s greatest to sow them early!
Technically, you too can strive planting peas for fall harvest by direct-seeding them in early to mid-July. We’ve discovered that this method will be difficult for a lot of house gardeners for just a few causes:
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Mid-July tends to be when gardens are the fullest, so there usually isn’t house to plant a second spherical of peas.
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The crops are too warmth pressured to supply a superb fruit set.
Q: Must you direct-seed or transplant peas?
A: Each work nicely!
We are inclined to transplant peas as a result of birds and slugs love newly buried pea seeds and tiny pea sprouts. We discover that transplanted peas are extra immune to any such injury. We go to the vast majority of our gardens on an every-other week foundation. Because of this if we direct-seeded peas in a backyard and the brand new sprouts have been munched by a chicken, it will be every week or two earlier than we seen and will replant once more. Because the season progresses and the climate begins to heat up, the window for planting peas closes, so we wish to get them established as early as attainable to make sure an prolonged pea harvest.
For those who’re a house gardener and wish to direct seed, simply control your crops! The direct-seeded peas often germinate inside every week. For those who discover that your new sprouts are getting mowed down by slugs or birds, simply reseed as quickly as attainable. In case your seed doesn’t germinate in any respect, or germination is spotty, gently dig round your seeded row and see if the seed continues to be there. Crows and different birds love consuming them entire. You possibly can fill in a spotty row with new seeds and the later-planted ones usually meet up with the unique row.
In case you are having pest points, sprinkle your planting with iron phosphate (to maintain the slugs at bay) and drape some chicken netting over your mattress. After your peas have grown to about 3 inches in top, gently take away the chicken netting. Make certain to not break any of the rising suggestions in your pea crops as you do that. For those who neglect to take away your chicken netting, your crops will begin to get caught within the netting and also you’ll have created a brand new difficulty for your self to barter. 🙂
A observe on timing: If sown early sufficient (within the PNW, someday in March), direct seeded peas are inclined to meet up with transplanted peas as soon as it comes time to start out producing.
