Peas popularly known as “Green Peas” have been an essential ingredient in various households and cuisines around the world.
Peas are scientifically known as Pisum sativum and they are a frost-hardy plant that thrives well under moderate sunlight exposure.
The pea plant is a leguminous plant with hundreds of varieties and there are two major types of this legume known; dwarf and tall types.
Generally, the fruit of peas are rich in proteins, vitamins, dietary fibers, and minerals and the pods that bears the seeds pea seed can either be edible or not.
This plant is very easy to grow and they thrive well in cool climates around the globe. It has become a household plant over the years and eating it fresh makes it much palatable and tasty. In this article, we will discuss how to conveniently grow peas at home so stay with us to learn more.
Table of Contents
Types of Peas
There is a conventional difference in the numerous varieties of peas. Pea plants can grow to a height between 16 inches and 6 feet.
As mentioned, there are two major types of peas and regardless of the type; the fruits of these variety can either be classified as either edible shell or non-edible shell. Here, we will discuss the types of peas that we have and they are:
Dwarf peas:
Peas of this type can grow to a height of 16 to 30 inches at maturity. These types of pea are determinate as they produce all of their crops at once. They are also considered the bush type of peas as they grow tall on their own with no support.
Tall peas:
This type of peas grows by means of tendrils which are used as a source of attachment on surfaces and structures. The tendrils can attach to almost anything as they twine around it for support.
They are indeterminate as they produce fruits over time, not at once, and give room for easy harvesting. They can grow high as tall as 3 feet – 6 feet.
When is the appropriate time to grow Peas?
Peas are generally sunny plants that grow well under a cool weather. Other than the ease of growing peas, having a clear understanding of the right time to grow peas is even more significant.
This leguminous plant develop when the temperature is below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Fahrenheit and above is recommended).
Planting should be done as soon as spring sets in and the soil temperature is at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit and above.
If you are sowing seeds outdoors, you should ensure that planting is done about 6 weeks before the average date of the last frost.
This will ensure that seeds have germinated and are able to withstand the hardness of the season without the inhibition of growth.
You should plant peas as soon as the soil can be worked and appropriate environmental condition are met.
If you reside in any of the temperate regions of the world, peas perform well in spring through mid-summer while during late fall and winter in the tropics.
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How to grow peas at home
This plant is no new plant and the cultivation of this plant has gone as far back as a thousand years.
Even in science, the father of modern genetics, Gregor Mendel planted peas of different color and this led to the discovery of the law of inheritance. Peas are cool weather plants that will survive in environments that can foster its overall development.
Growing peas is an incredible task to bear as it is a process that does not require too much labor and energy to practice. Here, we will take you through a step by step guide to follow when growing peas at your home.
Choose a good variety of pea seeds:
there are three major variety of peas known around the world. The variety of pea to grow will be dependent of several factors from determining variety that thrives well in your location to available space for planting to nature of the crop. Here are the three major variety of peas are:
Snow peas: they are characteristically flat and they are popular in Asian cuisines. They are very edible – both the pods and peas are edible and nutritious.
Sweet peas: this is by far the most popular of them all. They bear pods that are inedible while the peas are sweet and edible. This type is usually sold in cans in grocery stores.
Snap peas: both the peas and pods of this variety of pea is edible. It is a much larger version of the snow pea. They are popular in stir-fries.
Select a suitable planting location:
Peas grow well in locations that receive adequate sunlight and shades daily. The place of choice should receive 6 – 8 hours sunlight per day and the soil must be fertile and well-draining.
Ensure that the soil is rich in phosphorus and potassium as this will aid development of crops and has limited nitrogen content. Soil with a large proportion of Nitrogen promotes foliar growth and this is not the sole purpose of planting.
Prepare the soil:
You should improve the soil fertility, pH, water holding capacity ahead of planting. Decayed manure and garden compost can be very good materials for improving the soil quality. Soil pH should be maintained between slightly acidic and neutral levels.
Make planting terrace(s):
Use a shovel or how to make terraces that are about 3 feet long, 22cm wide, and 5cm deep. Make holes along the sides of the terrace(s) with a spacing of 10cm between seeds.
Plant the seeds:
Seeds purchased should be planted in the holes (rate of 3 seeds per hole is sufficient) that have been made in the terrace. Once you have sowed the seed, cover the seeds with top soil and water thoroughly.
Ensure that water made available to seeds is enough to keep the soil moistened and not soggy. Regular watering of seeds should be carried out to ensure that the seedlings germinate within the speculated period of time.
Thin seedlings:
Seeds germinate at maximum 2 to 3 weeks after planting. Spots having more than one seedling that have sprouted successfully should be thinned to one. Remove seedlings that are weak and ensure that strong, healthy seedlings are left.
Stake the plants (optional):
If you are growing the dwarf type of pea, staking is not necessary as this they do not require extensive support.
However, tall types of pea needs support and staking young seedlings will provide them with the needed support.
Tiny tree branches can be a very good stake. Train the tendrils of the seedlings around the stake to ensure proper articulation.
Allow plants to grow:
Once staking has been done, regular maintenance and management practices such as wedding, watering, etc. should be ensured.
The plants should be left to grow without human, animal, or pest interference. Seedlings should perform well by itself naturally in soils that are very rich in terms of fertility.
Feed with Potassium/Phosphorus based fertilizers:
Once pea plants reach the flowering stage in its development, the nutrients that it receives should be well monitored.
The root of the plant should not be fortified with nitrogen based fertilizers as this will enhance excessive development of leaves and being a leguminous plant, they fix nitrogen to the soil.
As soon as the plant begins to develop flowers (which develops into fruits), the plant should be fed with high-potash fertilizer biweekly to stimulate more flower production thereby increasing number of fruits.
Mulch the base of the plant:
You should add a layer of compost materials to the base of pea plants to prevent moisture loss and ensure nutrient conservation.
Reduce pest population:
There are two major pests of pea plants which are maggots and aphids. Aphids destroy the stem, leaves, and other parts of the plants and they can be prevented through proper watering of stems and leaves.
On the other hand, maggots should be gotten rid of at the earliest stage by hand picking. Look for eggs laid, pick them, and get rid of them.
Harvest matured peas:
Peas generally reach their peak within three months and can have varying maturity period between 55 – 80 days. Harvesting of peas is recommended to be carried out in the early morning after the dew has dried out.
In case of tall types, carefully hold vines with one hand and pull pea pods on the other hand to prevent damaging the plants as they produce crops for a much longer period of time.
Conclusion
Peas are tasteful crops that have been an important part of our daily lives for a very long time. This legume is very rich in vitamins and they supply our body with nutrients required for proper metabolism and functioning. Growing your own pea plant is a good way to ensure proper access to food of the best quality.
With this detailed and well-explained guide, you can easily grow pea plants with no stress at all anywhere in your home. Ensure proper access to food that are of high quality.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article !
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