Late marrowfat pea Lancet

Pisum sativum - Lancet

Peas have been cultivated since the Neolithic period and are now grown almost worldwide. They contain many vitamins and active substances. 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 Fabaceae 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 cultivation groups. Shelling peas whose seeds are suitable for freezing and fresh preparation in the kitchen. Sugar snap peas, where the entire pod including 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 cultivation earliness, we distinguish very early varieties, early, mid-early, mid-late and late varieties.

How to Grow Peas

• They require a bright location, but not direct scorching sun. Peas are among cool-season plants. They thrive best at temperatures of 13 – 18 °C. This doesn't mean they can tolerate frost. Water abundantly especially during flowering and pod setting. The soil should never dry out completely. Drought doesn't suit peas. Peas are climbing plants, so they need to be provided with 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. Shelling peas are sown from April to June. We sow in prepared soil in rows spaced 15 - 30 cm apart, with seeds 4 - 6 cm apart. Seeds are sown at a depth of 5 - 7 cm.

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

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

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

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

  Pea leaf weevil - damages leaves. Leaf blades are regularly nibbled from the edges. The larvae of this beetle also damage plants, living in nodular tumors 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 patches. Sown seeds don't germinate at all. Roots are damaged, visible tunnels can be seen. Larvae are cylindrical and hard, shiny, yellow-brown and about three centimeters in size. Chemical protection is not very suitable. If wireworms appear, regularly and deeply dig the soil and don't leave it undisturbed even after harvest. Fertilizing with nitrogen 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 sown varieties.

  Early varieties are harvested from 12 weeks after planting.

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