PEAS

Pisum sativum

Pea flowers are produced in abundance on healthy plants.

Mature pea pods ready for harvesting.

Shelling peas is a time consuming task when done by hand.

Once separated from the vines the pea plants can be used as mulch.

Pea mulch around young citrus trees will help conserve moisture and provide nutrients to the soil.

Pea plant with nodules on roots.

Close up of the nodules caused by the beneficial Rhizobia bacteria.

Close up of peas and their pods.

The first vegetable to be grown on my farm was the dwarf garden pea. This hardy and versatile vegetable is a must for all gardens having so many important uses apart from its food value.

Broad Beans, Dried Peas Are Important Food Source

The grey green foliage is relatively drought, wind and frost tolerant. Being a legume the plant is also capable of incorporating nitrogen into the soil and the foliage makes an outstanding mulch, releasing nitrogen as it decomposes.

The pea has been cultivated in Europe since ancient times and is now grown throughout the world especially in temperate climate zones. Together with broad beans, chick peas and lentils it was once the main food source for most of the working population in Europe. The highly nutritious seeds were eaten fresh or dried and stored for later use. Presently peas are available fresh, canned, dried or frozen.

Dwarf Peas, Semi-Dwarf Peas And Sugar Peas

Many pea cultivars have been developed including dwarf, semi-dwarf and tall or climbing forms. These cultivars are grown for shelling or for their edible pods in which case they are also known as sugar or snow peas.

Peas do best in a temperate climate during the cool moist late winter and spring periods, the best temperatures for optimum growth being between 20-25 degrees Celsius. Frosts during flowering will damage flowers and subsequent pods while temperatures above 30 degrees will reduce the quantity and quality of pods.

Soil Drainage And Limy Soil

Peas will grow well in a wide range of soils, provided drainage is good. They prefer slightly acidic soils, but are tolerant of limy or alkaline soils. A row spacing of at least 60cm is necessary to allow for weed cultivation as peas do not compete well with weeds. Peas are also sensitive to most herbicides and hand weeding should be carried out in small plots or in the home garden. Fertilisers containing a complete range of nutrients can be used, but a high level of nitrogen should be avoided. Having the ability to fix nitrogen via the action of soil bacteria in their roots, peas will also supply nitrogen to the next crop as the nitrogen will be released as the pea roots decompose.

Inoculated Pea Seed And Rhizobia Bacteria Coating

If peas have not been grown in the plot in the past inoculated seed should be used. Inoculated seed contains a coating of Rhizobia bacteria that act within the pea root cells and will reside in the soil for future crops. These beneficial bacteria can extract nitrogen from the air around the roots and convert the nitrogen into useful compounds for use by the pea plant. In return the pea plant supplies the bacteria with essential nutrients.

When purchasing seed, ensure the seeds have been treated with a fungicide that is not copper based. A copper based fungicide will kill the Rhizobia bacteria and should not be used.

Flavour Is Lost With Over-Ripe Pods

Pea pods need to be harvested as soon as the pods are full and firm. The seed will quickly lose its flavour if left too long on the vine, that sweet flavour typical of freshly harvested pods is quickly lost in over-ripe pods.

Growing peas has been successful on the farm under difficult conditions. The plants were battered by strong winds and suffered from a lack of rain, but as expected they managed to provide a substantial crop as well as a useful supply of mulch for the fruit trees.

Peas were one of my favourite crops long ago as a youth and now they have become one of my most important farm crops.