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Seasons
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There is no pea in the grocery store to match
the tender, sweet peas fresh from your garden. Peas, which are a
legume, do best in rich soil that is well drained. The
secret to getting a good harvest is to plant early February or mid
March and to harvest before the early, hot days of summer arrive.
They can not handle heat. They will germinate in soil temperatures
as low as 40 degrees. I use garden inoculant to help peas fixate the nitrogen so that it
is usable to the peas. However if the peas are
"fungicide-treated" there is no need to use inoculant as it
will not work.
There are three types of peas:
- English (garden) peas; these are the sweet, tender
that is shelled out of an inedible pod.
Varieties: 
- Alaska (55 day)
- *Early Frosty (60 day)
- Green Arrow (70 day)
*Laxton Progress #9
One of the most popular home garden vegetables, peas
grow best in cool weather. Young pea plants tolerate condsiderable cold,
even light frost; so spring plantings are seldom harmed by cold weather.
Shelled out fresh peas have a sweet, delicate flavor. May be frozen or
canned. 55-70 days to maturity
- *Thomas Laxton (58 day)
- **Maestro (61 day)
(Click on thumbnail picture to view
enlargement)
Wando (68 day)
The delicate sweet taste of fresh-picked peas makes
them one of the most popular garden vegetables. This variety comes into
production quickly, making it a good early crop. Plants are very
productive. Grows best in cool weather. Use fresh or cooked, good for
freezing. 55-60 days to maturity.
- Edible-pod peas; these tender, flavorful edible
pods, sometimes called snowpeas, are harvested when the peas inside
are small and underdeveloped.
Varieties:
- Snap peas; these have sweet, crunchy, edible pod
and a picked when they have developed a full-size pea. They
can be eaten raw, lightly steamed or stir-fried.
Varieties:
Sugar Ann
This All America selection is absolutely delicious.
The large edible pods are crips, sweet, and succulent. Enjoy fresh in
the garden, with dips, or snapped into pieces and mixed with salads.
Also delicious steamed, stir-fried or shelled. Pods freeze well. Plants
grow 18"-30" tall. 55 days to maturity.
Sugar Snap
Representing a new generation of garden peas, Sugar
Snap is a winner of the prestigious All America Selections Gold Metal.
Crisp, crunchy, and delicious, it's eaten whole - pods and peas - when
the pods are plump and round. Serve fresh in salads, with dip, stir
fried or steamed. Good for freezing. Grows best in cool weather. 65-70
days to maturity.
*Very good varieties
**My favorite |
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Planting:
I sow seeds very thickly in a single row; like I am
putting pepper on an egg! ( ::::::::::::: ) I make a lb. bag seed a
row 60-70 ft. long. Mother always planted two single rows very close
together but I find that too hard to pick. Cover seeds with 1-1/2
inches of soil.
Fertilizing:
Use 1-1/2 lbs of 5-10-10 per 100 sq. ft. as peas are a
legume and can not handle too much nitrogen.
Harvesting:
Depending on the variety, peas are ready to harvest about
60 days after planting.
Harvest when peas are well-filled out but before they
begin to harden and fade in color. My rule is better pick them too young
than too old.
Rotation Tip:
If you like soybeans a good rotation tip is to plant the
soybeans when the peas are finished.
Maestro Peas
In the beginning of my gardening days I
planted Thomas Laxton and I loved them- except they never produced well
for me. Maestro have the same tender, sweet flavor and are highly
resistant to diseases. They produce 9-12 peas per pod and freeze
well. They also do well if planted late August for a fall crop.. |
®
Hertzler
Farm
and Feed Inc.
