Pisum sativum
The first vegetable to be grown on my farm was the dwarf garden pea. This hardy and versatile vegetable is a must for all gardens having so many important uses apart from its food value. Being a legume the plant is capable of incorporating nitrogen into the soil and the foliage makes outstanding mulch, releasing nitrogen as it decomposes.
Important Food Source
The pea has been cultivated in Europe since ancient times and is now grown throughout the world especially in temperate climate zones. The grey green foliage is relatively drought, wind and frost tolerant.
Together with broad beans, chick peas and lentils it was once the main food source for most of the working population in Europe. The highly nutritious seeds were eaten fresh or dried and stored for later use. Presently peas are available fresh, canned, dried or frozen.
Pea Cultivars
Many pea cultivars have been developed including dwarf, semi-dwarf and tall or climbing forms. These cultivars are grown for shelling or for their edible pods in which case they are also known as sugar or snow peas.
Peas do best in a temperate climate during the cool moist late winter and spring periods, the best temperatures for optimum growth being between 20-25 degrees Celsius. Frosts during flowering will damage flowers and subsequent pods while temperatures above 30 degrees will reduce the quantity and quality of pods.
Soil Nitrogen And Drainage
Peas will grow well in a wide range of soils, provided drainage is good. They prefer slightly acidic soils, but are tolerant of limy or alkaline soils. A row spacing of at least 60cm is necessary to allow for weed cultivation as peas do not compete well with weeds.
Having the ability to fix nitrogen via the action of soil bacteria in their roots, peas will also supply nitrogen to the next crop as the nitrogen will be released as the pea roots decompose.
Seed Treatment And Fertilisers
Peas are also sensitive to most herbicides and hand weeding should be carried out in small plots or in the home garden. Fertilisers containing a complete range of nutrients can be used, but a high level of nitrogen should be avoided.
When purchasing seed, ensure the seeds have been treated with a fungicide that is not copper based, as well, if peas have not been grown in the plot in the past inoculated seed should be used.
Beneficial Bacterial Around Roots
Inoculated seed will have a supply of beneficial bacteria (Rhizobia species) that act within the pea root cells. These bacteria can extract nitrogen from the air around the roots and convert this nitrogen into useful compounds used by the pea plant. In return the pea plant supplies the bacteria with essential nutrients.
Pea pods need to be harvested as soon as the pods are full and firm. The seed will quickly lose its flavour if left too long on the vine, that sweet flavour typical of freshly harvested pods is quickly lost in over-ripe pods.
Peas On My Hobby Farm
Growing peas has been successful on the farm under difficult conditions. The plants were battered by strong winds and suffered from a lack of rain, but as expected they managed to provide a substantial crop as well as a useful supply of mulch for the fruit trees. Peas were one of my favourite crops long ago as a youth and now they have become one of my most important farm crops.