Sugar Pea Legumes

Pisum sativum - Legumes

Peas have been cultivated since the Neolithic period, and today they are grown almost worldwide. They contain many vitamins and active substances. They are also a source of proteins and vitamins C, B, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and more. They belong to annual crops. This pod 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. Garden peas with seeds suitable for freezing and fresh culinary use. Sugar snap peas, where the entire pod including the seeds is consumed. Round-seeded peas, which have a high starch content and are suitable for heat processing, such as in soups. According to growing maturity, we distinguish very early varieties, early, medium early, medium late, and late varieties.

How to Grow Peas

• Peas 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 generously especially during flowering and pod formation. The soil should never dry out completely. Drought doesn't suit peas. Peas are climbing plants, so they need support. If growing peas in rows, stretch string between them. Peas will manage 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. Garden peas are sown from April to June. Sow in a prepared plot in rows 15-30 cm apart, with seeds 4-6 cm apart. Sow seeds to a depth of 5-7 cm.

• The soil should be permeable, well-worked with sufficient nutrients. It shouldn't dry out quickly, but also mustn't remain waterlogged for long.

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

  Apply phosphate and potash fertilizers as needed. Dosage of 20 kg N, 50 kg P, 120 kg K per hectare. If the soil was properly fertilized before sowing, additional fertilization during vegetation is not necessary.

• Pea weevil - its larvae bore holes in seeds. Only one larva inhabits each seed. Larvae damage seeds, reducing yield, quality, and germination of peas. Adult beetles consume pollen, petals, or pea stamens. Chemical protection involves spraying during flowering when the first two flowers on the stem finish blooming and the first pod begins to form. Prevention includes appropriate early 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 growths on 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 seed doesn't germinate at all. Roots are damaged with visible tunnels. Larvae are cylindrical and hard, shiny, yellow-brown, and about three centimeters long. 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.

  Other enemies of peas are birds, especially jays and pigeons. In this case, use scarers, traps, or nets.

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

  Early varieties can be harvested from the 12th week after planting.

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