We all have our Achilles heel. Zoolander’s was turning left. Mine is growing peas any larger than a bite-sized pod – and that’s because peas provide the ultimate vegetable snack-age. There are few tastier times in the patch than when peas are in season and those sweet, crunchy snacks litter the foliage.
Their bounty aside, peas also provide benefit to the garden as a whole, injecting the soil with nitrogen as they grow. After those greedy summer vegetables – such as tomatoes, sweet corn, zucchini (courgettes), etc. – your soil will be depleted of that essential element and in need of replenishment. Planting peas in the spaces that these crops once occupied will help redress the imbalance because, along with broad beans and other legumes, peas produce their own nitrogen.
The difference between a tiny bite-sized pod or a proper mouthful is about 2 weeks and a lot of willpower. Given that pods are sweetest when young, it’s that difficult compromise between taste and yield. Remember that harvesting frees up your plants for more production, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to keep the good times rolling.
PLANTING
Sow directly to your patch at a depth 2-3 times the diameter of the seed. It is easiest if you use a chop stick or pencil to form holes 2-3cm deep and then place two to three seeds in each hole, cover over, pat down and water in.
WATERING
In ground: Water daily for the first 4 weeks and 3-4 times a week in the absence of rainfall thereafter. More frequent watering may be required during the warmer times of the year.
In Pots: Water daily while establishing and for the entirety of the warm season, otherwise every second day – after they are 4 weeks old – if growing during the cooler times of the year.
MAINTENANCE
Prepare the soil with compost and ensure it is free draining. Don’t over-fertilise with nitrogen. Soak seeds in water overnight and sow directly into the patch at the required spacing. Set up a trellis to enable pea tendrils to grab hold.
After a month, thin out any extra seedlings and use in your salads. Mulch to a depth of 3–5cm using sugar cane mulch. If seedlings are disappearing overnight, you may have a possum or rodent problem, so act if necessary.
After 12 weeks apply liquid potassium to encourage flower development and setting of pods.
Picking pods will encourage more to develop, so harvest accordingly. Use mil spray to control powdery mildew.
For those growing in-ground, chop up plants and integrate through the soil post-harvest. THis will fix the soil with more nitrogen for the next lot of hungry feeders.
HARVESTING
Time until first harvest: About 14 weeks for pods, but you can gobble a few pea shoots and flowers along the way.
How to harvest: Pick pods or snip them at the vine. The more you harvest, the more the plant will produce.
TIP
Soaking the seed overnight prior to planting gives the pea a full body of water. This will help break down the tough exterior coating and then can be used by the seed over the first 3-4 days leading up to germination. Try not to overwater them during the first few days after planting as they can become susceptible to rat attack.
