How to grow english peas

Growing english peas

When learning how to grow English peas,keep in mind that it is one of the most delightful plants for the garden that is also sometimes disappointing. The English Pea also known as green peas. They are the garden sugar when you pluck them at maturity, but disappointing when you shell your little hands off and get a small bowl from what you believe should be a banquet. Once you learn the proportions of pods to servings, the peas never fail to please you. Learning how to grow English peas isn’t difficult and it’s a lot of fun to eat the harvest.

Where, When and How to Plant English Peas

Peas are a cool weather plant, much like lettuce. As soon as you can till the soil, start the pea patch. The peas grow best when sown directly into the soil and planting takes place a month to a month and a half before the last frost. Traditionally in the North, St Patrick’s Day is the planting of the green, peas that is. The soil needs to be above freezing, around 40 degrees, to keep the seed from rotting. In the Northern parts of the country, make sure the site is in full sun. The gardeners in the Deep South need to provide some shelter from the sun during the midday.

While spacing and planting depth vary according to the breed, double rows for the plants with mesh fencing between the two, is normal for all. The particularly tall plants grow well along the garden fence if it’s wire.

Soil Preparation

You need to till the soil first then add a layer of composted organic material. Till in the compost to a depth of about six or eight inches. Use dried manure sparingly since the additional nitrogen makes the plant lush with leaves but fewer and smaller pods. The plant likes a higher pH, slightly alkaline, so you may need to add lime. Once planted, you don’t need to add additional compost or fertilizer.

Watering the English Peas

Peas like water but they don’t like to get their feet wet. Keep your soil moist but not to the point of saturation. Once the plants develop, water more frequently. You need to use 1” to 2” of water and allow the area to dry slightly between the watering times. Increase this during times that the plant blooms and produces a pod. If you’re lucky, the April showers take care of a lot of the need.

Storing and Harvest

Wait until the pods are full and green. The larger the pod, the tougher the pea inside, but if you pick them too skinny, there’s nothing to eat. Once the peas come on the vine, pick every 2 to five days, depending on the size of your patch. Store the peas immediately at temperatures right above freezing, 32 to 36 degrees, until you have a chance to shell them.

Pest and Disease

The most common pest of the plant from the insect world is the aphid. If you find that your plant has these little pest, spray them with a soapy spray. Mix a 2 cups of warm water, 4 teaspoons of vegetable oil and several drops of dish soap and spray it on the plants. Allow the mixture to work and then spray with a hard spray of water. Powdery mildew, fusarium wilt and root rot are the primary diseases to the plant. The biggest predator, however, is the bunny. They like the sweet plant too.

How to Grow English Peas in Texas

English peas are a winter crop in the lower US. Plant the seeds in the late fall, making certain that you have adequate shade from the midday sun.

One Last Word on How to Grow English Peas

English peas fix nitrogen into the soil and make it available for other plants. The roots loosen the soil and make it beneficial for other plants in the area. Even though this sounds great for the next year’s crop, when you need to know how to grow English peas, you also need a final lesson on rotating the crop. Do this every two to three years and you’ll make all your plants happy.

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