We live in zone 6a and I have been gardening and cooking for years. This blog is an opportunity for me to share with you my success and those failures that come about on occasion. Plus, I want to hear from all the gardeners and bakers and cooks out there and learn from you. Feel free to share your ideas.







Sunday, March 4, 2012

Questions About Planting Peas

Although I have been gardening for years, I have never planted peas and would like wisdom and advice from those who have. I have a pack of Mr. Big Pea Seeds and below is a photo from Cooks Garden of them. The reviews have said that these are a real winner.

So do you soak the seeds overnight to encourage germination?
What helpful tips can you give me for growing peas?
What is the best method that you have found to provide support for them: trellis, chicken wire fencing, branches or...?
Thanks for your help!

4 comments:

  1. I haven't found a difference when I soaked my peas. I do use innoculant though. It is fairly inexpensive, goes a long way and you can use it for beans too. They used to have different types for beans and peas. Now I can only find one type at the garden center.

    As far as supporting them, it depends on how tall they are and what I have handy. I use trellis for the tall varieties and have used sticks and string for the short varieties. I say use what ever you have around.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't soak, just stick them right in the ground. I save sticks and twigs and used some larger limbs and screwed them into the side of the raised bed. I then took some twine/nylon and made a kind of "cats-cradle" weaving the twine back and forth and around and up. Once the peas get climbing they take care of themselves pretty easy.

    This year I'm planting them where I had the cucs last year. I have chicken wire stapled to a frame. Really anything will do. Peas are easy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I tried soaking some last year, and the soaked ones did sprout a little faster, but only by a day.

    For support, I put tall wooden stakes in the ground around 3 feet apart, and create a lattice-like structure with compostable twine between them. That way at the end of the season, I can just snip the twine off of the stakes and toss the twine+vines into the compost bin. I only do it this way because I hate the tedious process of removing dead vines from wire.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks all. You have provided me with great ideas. I appreciate your help!
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete