By Marion Woloschuk, Master Gardener with Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association (VIMGA)
Peas (Pisum sativum) are an excellent cool weather crop that can be planted as early as February, as long as the ground can be worked. They do best in spring and early fall weather. Plant them in well-drained soil and re-seed at intervals, avoiding the hotter summer months, to keep a steady supply going. Sow seeds approximately 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) deep and 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) apart. You may want to protect the pea bed with some row cover or small-mesh wire until the plants get a bit larger, to keep robins and squirrels away from the sprouting seeds. Mulch the growing plants with compost or leaves to help retain moisture and feed the soil.
There are a number of different types of peas to choose from. Shelling peas (also called “English peas”) are grown for the plump seeds inside their pods. Snow (or sugar) peas are grown for their edible flat pods (pick the pods before the seeds fatten up), and snap peas are a variant with tender, thick pod walls. There are some peas bred to be dried for use in soups and stews, as well as a variety called a “tendril” pea, grown for edible greens.
Peas can be vigorous climbers, reaching 7 or 8 feet (2-2.5 metres) in height, while some varieties are much shorter, topping out at a foot (30 cm) or so. In general, peas can use some sort of support to keep them off the ground. The longer vines will need strong supports, perhaps a fence or wire panelling of some sort, while shorter types can be well supported with a mesh of smaller branches you have scavenged from pruning the fruit trees in your yard. Green Arrow is a popular shelling pea, the plants grow to about 2 feet (60 cm) so don’t need a lot of staking, and they are resistant to a lot of diseases. However, there are many varieties of peas available through seed catalogues and on nursery shelves, so be sure to find the one or two that are right for you.
Peas are legumes and are great nitrogen fixers, improving the soil, so be sure to move them around in your garden rotation scheme from year to year. You can follow your early pea crops with a planting of other vegetables that prefer warmer weather, then re-plant with peas once the heat has abated and the preferred cooler temperatures have returned.
In our climate it is best to plant varieties that are resistant to the pea enation virus, a common disease found here on the coast. You can usually find this information listed in your seed catalogue or on the package of seeds. Be sure to rotate your pea crop and plant it in a different area next time if you do encounter this disease.
The pea moth is occasionally found here. It lays eggs inside the pea pod, where, at the larval stage, they develop into small cream-coloured caterpillars. Remove and destroy any affected plants once they are harvested in order to control spread of this pest. It’s always a good idea to purchase varieties that are listed as being resistant to wilt and mildew, and keep in mind that days to maturity vary a lot – something to think about when arranging your planting schedule.
Peas are, for the most part, an easy and rewarding crop to grow. There’s nothing better than snacking on fresh peas from your own garden, so be sure to pick them at their peak of perfection. Enjoy them fresh or freeze them to be used later on, cooked with a bit of butter or in a winter soup.