Early marrow pea

Pisum sativum

Peas have been cultivated since the Neolithic period, and are currently grown almost all over the world. They contain many vitamins and active substances that help us improve the defence capabilities of the entire body. They are also a source of protein and vitamins C, B, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and more. They belong to annual crops. This legume vegetable belongs to the legume family. The flowers are white and the fruit is a pod. The seeds can be light to dark green.

Peas can be divided into three cultivated groups. Marrowfat peas whose seeds are suitable for freezing and fresh processing in the kitchen. Sugar snap peas, where the entire pod including the seeds is used for consumption. Round-seeded peas, which have a high starch content. They are suitable for heat processing, e.g. in soups. According to growing earliness, we distinguish very early varieties, early, medium-early, medium-late and late varieties.

How to Grow Peas

• They require a bright location, but not direct scorching sun. Peas are cold-loving plants. They thrive best at temperatures of 13 – 18 °C. This doesn't mean they can withstand frost. Water abundantly especially during flowering and pod setting. The soil should never dry out completely. Drought is not good for peas. Peas are climbing plants, so they need support. If we grow peas in rows - we stretch string between them. Peas will make do with any support - fence, pergola, wooden slat. Regularly loosen the soil around the planting and remove weeds.

• Sowing is done early in spring, preferably at the end of March to early April. Marrowfat peas are sown from April to June. We sow in a prepared plot in rows 15 - 30 cm apart, with seeds 4 -6 cm apart. Seeds are sown to a depth of 5 - 7 cm.

• The soil should be permeable, well-worked with a sufficient dose of nutrients. It should not dry out quickly, but at the same time it must not remain waterlogged for long.

• Before planting, fertilize the soil with mature compost or well-rotted manure.

  Apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers as needed. Dose of 20 kg N, 50 kg P, K 120kg per hectare. If the soil was properly fertilized before sowing, there is no need to fertilize during vegetation.

• Pea weevil - its larvae drill holes in the seeds. Only one larva lives in each seed. Larvae damage the seeds, reduce yield, quality and germination of peas. Adult beetles eat pollen, petals or stamens of peas. Chemical protection is spraying during flowering, when the first two flowers on the stem have finished flowering and the first pod begins to form. Prevention is appropriate preventive earlier sowing of peas.

  Pea leaf weevil - damages leaves. Leaf blades are regularly eaten from the edges. Larvae of this beetle also damage plants, living in nodular tumours on the roots and destroying them. Suitable protection is spraying with Karate or Sumithion preparations and arsenic preparations.

  Wireworms - larvae of click beetles. Plants wilt in rows or focal points. Sown seed doesn't germinate at all. Roots are damaged, visible tunnels can be seen. Larvae are cylindrical and hard, glossy, yellow-brown and about three centimetres large. Chemical protection is not very suitable. If wireworms appear, regularly and deeply dig the soil and don't leave it undisturbed even after harvest. Fertilising with nitrogenous lime also helps.

  Another enemy of peas are birds, especially jays and pigeons. In this case, we apply scarers, traps or nets.

• Harvest takes place approximately from mid-June to mid-July depending on the earliness of the sown varieties.

  Early varieties are harvested from as early as 12 weeks after planting.

  Sugar snap peas are harvested as soon as the pods contain sweet large peas. It's advisable to simply test one pod to see if they are sufficiently ripe.