Released: March 07, 2005

Peas Time Their Own Sprouting, Mature Before Hot Weather Hits

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Sweet peas are kind of a miracle crop in the garden. If the soil isn’t wet, they can go into the ground any time from early March to late April.

“When they sense the conditions are favorable, they’ll germinate. Until then, they’ll just lie there, waiting,” said Chuck Marr, horticulturist with Kansas State University Research and Extension. “Combined with a pleasant growing season that ends before summer, this ability can make peas an interesting crop for anyone to try – even novice gardeners.”

Peas like well-drained, cool soil that’s moderately to well fertilized. They usually perform best when planted (a) 1 inch deep and (b) 2 inches apart in the row, (c) as part of a wide row – which is two or three rows spaced 4 to 6 inches apart – and (d) with the wide rows at least a foot apart, Marr said.

“Having close rows like this allows the weak, spindly pea vines to support each other,” he said.

Otherwise, low-growing varieties need to be in rows 18-24 inches apart. Climbers need 3 feet between rows, although two rows – 6 inches on either side of a trellis – can count as a single wide row.

“This can sound like too much math and measuring, but keeping peas supported prevents a lot of other problems,” Marr said. “It’s actually the easier approach.”

This is true for all pea types – standard, Oriental and sugar.

The standard varieties require that the peas be shelled from their pod for eating. Off-farm, the pods then are useful only in a compost bin, he said. In contrast, the pod is what’s important in the flattish Oriental or snow types, although they’re good whole in salads while still small and tender. Because of their fleshy pods, however, the sugar or sugar snap varieties are good eating both in and out of their pod.

Marr said the top standard varieties for growing in Kansas include Little Marvel, Green Arrow, Frosty, Knight, Sparkle and Burpeeana. Although they have “sugar” in their name, the best-performing Oriental/snow peas include the Dwarf Grey Sugar and Mammoth Sugar varieties. Good sugar pea varieties are Sugar Ann, Sugar Bon and Sugar Snap.

For a good harvest, however, weed control will be essential, especially during the first six weeks after planting.

“Shallow hoeing and hand-pulling are the best weeding methods,” the horticulturist said. “The plants are somewhat fragile.

“They need their soil kept evenly moist, too. If you’re going to be doing overhead watering, though, time it for early in the day. Leaf diseases are most likely to develop when leaves remain wet overnight.”

A 2-inch layer of organic mulch, applied after the peas sprout and start gaining size, will help to reduce both weed problems and soil moisture loss, Marr added.

In Kansas, peas usually mature by early to mid-June. For a single planting, the harvest will continue for several days. With successive seedings, the daily harvest could go on for weeks – or until hot summer weather kills the plants.

Marr said gardeners can judge pea maturity on these bases:

1. Standard and sugar - The pods have swollen. The peas inside are full-sized, but still tender.

2. Oriental - The pods are crisp and tender, but the peas have yet to enlarge significantly.

“You’ll get the best taste and quality if you use or preserve peas as soon as possible after harvest. Fortunately, they’re easy to freeze,” Marr said. “If you cool them immediately, though, you can successfully store them in the refrigerator for several days.”

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Kathleen Ward
kward@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News