Sweet Vegetables - Peas

In short: Sow garden peas as early as possible, from late March to early April, once the soil reaches about 10 °C. Place seeds 4–6 cm apart and 5–7 cm deep, in rows 15–30 cm apart, in light loamy soil with a pH around 6.5. Sprouted peas tolerate frost down to -6 °C.

Sweet Vegetables - Peas

Garden pea (lat. Pisum sativum) - is a legume cultivated for its sweet and tasty fruits that contain plenty of vitamins. It belongs to the Fabaceae family and is the most widespread economically important vegetable. It originates from the Eastern Mediterranean. It is grown at home in garden beds, but also in large fields, where it can naturalize and after ploughing acts as so-called green manure. The fruits - pods - contain juicy fleshy seeds - known as peas. The pea is an annual climbing plant. It flowers from May to October. It is not demanding on soil.

Peas - contain important minerals. Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Do you know how sweetness develops in fruits? You may still remember from school that green plants create carbohydrates (sugars) from carbon dioxide and water with the help of sunlight. The photosynthesis process is quite complex. However, for gardeners, the most important result is - sweet substances are stored in seeds (fruits). We are often surprised by the sweet taste of vegetables. For example, with grapes and cherries we don't expect anything else.

What the carbohydrate content in fruits will be depends to a large extent on the variety. You can recognize this in the variety name, which may contain English words like sweet or sugar. Sweet vegetables also include, for example, melon or sweet corn or pumpkin.

When growing sweet vegetables, timing plays an important role. The more sunny days, the more sugar and the greater the sweetness. Therefore, sow peas as early as possible in the garden bed as soon as you can. Then yields and taste qualities are optimal. The harvest time is also decisive for sweetness. The riper the fruits are, the more sugar converts to starch. This also applies during longer-term storage.

Growing Peas

Sugar snap peas - we sow as early as possible. Optimal is March to early April. We harvest whole pods approximately 3 weeks after flowering. Consume peas immediately or freeze them.

Garden peas - we sow at the beginning of April, at the latest by the end of April. We harvest about 2-3 weeks after flowering. Consume peas immediately, or preserve them, or we can freeze them.

Sweet pumpkins - we pre-cultivate at the beginning of March, sow in the garden bed in May. Sugar pumpkins are sensitive to frost. We harvest at the latest in October, optimally in August. We preserve the pumpkin, can it, use it in sweet pastries.

Freshly picked peas rival strawberries or cherries with their delicious taste. Only early sowings provide high yields. Don't forget about peas and prepare now for their timely sowing.

Peas are undemanding when it comes to soil - they thrive in light loamy soils with neutral pH, around 6.5. Dig the soil thoroughly in autumn. In spring, hoe and aerate it. Don't fertilize aggressively with compost or farmyard manure. The soil should be clean and weed-free. Sow early in spring when the temperature reaches 10°C; if the temperature is lower, germination will be slower:

• at the end of March
• at the beginning of April

Sow in the second or third row of the bed. Sow in rows 15-30 cm apart. Peas have hypogeal germination, so they require deeper sowing. Place seeds individually about 4-6 cm apart. Sow to a depth of 5-7 cm. Plant in strips and in at least two rows so they can support each other as they grow. You can also prepare support for them by inserting stakes or tall poles at least 60 cm high on the sides of the bed and stretching 3 rows of string between them. You can also use netting or sturdy branches. Dwarf pea varieties don't need support.

Sprouted peas tolerate morning frosts down to -6°C well. Peas are cold-loving and thrive at temperatures of 13-18°C. Excessive drought doesn't suit peas. Don't let the soil dry out completely. Watering doesn't need to be regular, but beware of waterlogging.

Fertilize with potassium or phosphorus fertilizers. Among pea pests, the most significant is aphids - pea aphids, which should be eliminated with Pirimor spray in case of severe infestation.

Harvest takes place according to the pea variety's earliness, from the end of June to mid-July. We recommend planting several varieties to extend the harvest period up to 4 weeks. For example, varieties - large-seeded - RADIM - together with early and medium-early varieties. If we want to sow only one variety, we always sow one row and another row after one or two weeks. We continue this way from March to April. We can sow this way up to approximately 10 weeks before potential frosts so the pods have time to ripen.

Peas contain sugars that provide our body with immediate energy and fiber that aids our digestion. They are a source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, B vitamins, which help us maintain healthy skin and hair.

Legumes are grown for their fruits. Pods full of sweet seeds, the side of the pod is bound by a seam that opens when overripe. Legumes were grown mainly for their irreplaceable nutritional properties and historically often replaced meat consumption. We cook, for example, pea soup, pea porridge. We pickle peas in vinegar or salt brine. They are part of the traditional mixture for potato salad. They are used in risotto, soups, which they brighten colorfully, and for sterilizing and preserving.

Garden peas, alias fresh peas, are undoubtedly a crop you must sow. Freshly picked peas will please the whole family, especially children, for their delicious sweet taste and vitamin content.