Peas

Peas are one of the most popular green vegetables and are full of vitamins and fiber.

It is best to grow peas on land that is well drained but holds onto moisture. You can grow peas on most types of soil, however.

You can plant peas on old pastureland that you have plowed in.

Early peas can grow well on light soil.

Peas are difficult to clean when they are being picked, so it is important that you plant peas on clean land.

You should not have to add farmyard manure if it the soil was well manured for a previous crop.

If you must add manure, never add it in the spring. You can add manure in the fall, when you are preparing the soil.

You may add ammonium sulfate in order to help the pea plants grow when they are young.

Plow the land early in the winter. The soil will be firmed up by the winter weather. This will have a good effect on the peas.

In late February or early March, when the weather is dry, harrow the land down to a fine condition.

The land should be plowed a month before you sow the seeds and then left to remain fallow.

Pea seeds must be sown on firm land.

Seeds should be placed in rows that are between 9 inches and 1 ½ feet apart, with the seeds 1 ½ inches apart.

Be careful not to place the rows too far apart, or the plants will grow too much. This will cause the plants to fall over and become tangled up.

If you are sowing seeds in the fall, seeds should be between 2 ½ and 3 inches deep, but if you are sowing seeds in the spring, they should be only 2 inches deep.

As soon as you have sown your pea seeds, roll and harrow the land.

Hoe the soil once the seedlings are growing well.

If you are planting seeds that don't grow very tall, you can allow the haulms (stems) to rest on the ground.

However, you might find that, with both tall and short pea plants, it is useful to hold the haulms up with sticks. This will make the pods finer and help to produce a better crop.

Before inserting sticks, hoe the ground and place loose soil 3 inches deep by the stems of the peas.

Then, place the sticks in rows that are about 6 inches away from the peas, about 1 foot apart. The sticks should be inclined at a 45 degree angle.

In June, you should be able to pick peas that you sowed in November.

Crops that were sown later (in January or February) can be picked after that.

Don't leave peas out in the sun after they have been picked.