Sowing and growing Peas
They are, of course, incredibly delicious and sweet, fresh peas from your own garden. Peas, unlike for example green beans and snow peas, are a type of legume, where not the whole pod but only the seeds are eaten. They are mature legumes that you harvest only when they have grown thick. All pods basically form peas, but there are varieties that are tastier as pods and others that are more suitable for growing peas.
Growing your own peas from seeds
Peas and mange-tout basically grow on the same plants. Actually, a pea is not much more than a fully grown pod, where the shell is no longer edible and tasty, because it has become tough and contains a lot of threads. So, there are varieties that are especially suitable for growing peas and others for sugar-snaps or mange-tout. They form thicker pods, with the peas being larger.
There are both low-growing and climbing varieties of peas. The climbing varieties need support during growth, for example bamboo sticks. It is decorative and fun to place the sticks in the shape of a wigwam. This will give you a kind of green tower in your garden.
Sowing and planting peas
Peas can be pre-sown indoors in January and February to give them a head start on growth. Keep in mind that you need a lot of space for this and it is not really necessary to pre-sow them. You can sow peas in open ground in March and April. They are frost resistant, but be careful with a lot of rain. If the soil is too wet, they will rot. For the climbing species, place the bamboo sticks first. If necessary, you can stretch wires between them so that the plant has more grip. Then you can sow a number of peas around the sticks.
Position and soil for growing Peas
Peas are easy to grow and don't have many demands. They prefer a sunny spot, but partial shade is no problem either. The soil should not contain too much lime and should not be too wet. The plants themselves extract nitrogen from the air and add it to the soil.
How to care of your pea plants
Green peas require little care. Moderate watering and weed removal is sufficient. Take crop rotation into account and don't put them in the same place every year.
When and how to harvest peas?
Harvesting can be done in the months June and July. Harvest only the thick pods in which you can clearly see the peas. Peas harvested too young are also very tasty. When picking, make sure you do this carefully, preferably cutting them. This is to avoid damaging the delicate stems of the plant.
How to preserve peas
In the refrigerator, peas (with pod) can be kept for about 3-5 days. Peas can also be frozen or canned. Blanch first. You can also dry the pods, for example by hanging the plants upside down when the pods are ripe. When the pods are completely dried, you can remove the peas.
Are peas healthy?
Peas are very healthy and contain vitamins B, C and K, potassium, iron, and folic acid, among other things. They also contain a lot of fiber and are good for digestion.
Pea seeds in our collection
We have different types of peas in our range. For example, the ’Karina’ variety, which does not need growth support, or the very sweet ’Wonder of America’.
Tips to grow peas
Raw peas contain the toxic substance lectin, which can cause gastrointestinal upset. It becomes harmless when cooked.
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