Pea Planting Time

[GoDawgs]

The peas were planted two days ago and got rained on yesterday. Yay! I've tried a ton of varieties over the years and the one pea that does consistently the best in my garden is Wando. About five years ago I quit trialing other varieties next to Wando. It takes the cold and isn't bothered by early heat.

Peas are planted on each side of fencing on each side of a bed, resulting in four 18' rows (72' total) per bed and do two beds each spring. Last year we got 11 lbs of shelled peas from the two beds, 13 lbs the year before. That's about the average. There are only two more bags left in the freezer.

Last year I tried using field fencing as the trellis rather than the short stuff I've been using. It worked great and will eliminate the need to run twine higher up between the stakes for more support later so I decided to use only the field fencing this year. Looks I need to cut the ends off as I cut 6" too much. The big bolt cutters will do that job in a heartbeat.



First I pounded in the stakes 10" in from the side boards. Then I put some mulch leaves down the middle, enough so that once the peas come up I can push the leaves back out to the inside edges of the pea rows. Peas were planted along the inside of where the fence will be. Then the fence was put up and another row of peas planted along the outside edge of the fence.

This afternoon it should get to about 55 and then I'll go out and begin prep of another bed. More rain is coming in tomorrow so I need to get that prep done today. Thursday I will be sowing turnip and beet seed on the sides of that bed.

As a side note, it took 2.6 oz of seed for each bed, sowing 2" apart. Although they don't normally carry Wando, my local feed & seed was willing to order some in for me when I told them I needed a half pound (will be trying some in the fall too) and a friend also wanted some. They only charged $4.50/lb! The $2.25 for my half pound might buy just 2 oz from a catalog!

[Rajun Gardener]

Nice setup you have going!!

[Hensaplenty]

Nice! Thanks for sharing. I've got peas coming up now. Am trying three varieties: Lincoln, Wando, and Little Marvel. What was your experience with Lincoln and Little Marvel? We are in a similar area so I appreciate hearing your experience.

[GoDawgs]

Originally Posted by Hensaplenty

Nice! Thanks for sharing. I've got peas coming up now. Am trying three varieties: Lincoln, Wando, and Little Marvel. What was your experience with Lincoln and Little Marvel? We are in a similar area so I appreciate hearing your experience.

Old garden notes show I did grow Little Marvel for two years along with Wando but there were no comments recorded. Somewhere along the line I ruled out Lincoln because I seem to remember they were described were peas requiring a lot of support. But, as we all know, if you look up the description of a plant in ten different sources, you'll most likely get ten different heights listed as well as slightly different fruit, flower and production descriptions. LOL!

I'd love to hear about your experiences with Little Marvel and Lincoln!

Here are the peas I've tried over time:

Alaska Early
Dark Green Improved
Dual
Eclipse
Green Arrow
Icebreaker
Laxton
Little Marvel
Mr. Big
Sabre
Top Pod
Victory

[upcountrygirl]

GoDawgs...is this your first year with the beet seed? I'm interested in growing some this year but this is my first year of trying and so far from the research I've done beets aren't crazy about our hot, humid, southern climate. Are there varieties of beets that like our climate better than others..what time of year would be best to plant? etc....

[GoDawgs]

Originally Posted by upcountrygirl

GoDawgs...is this your first year with the beet seed? I'm interested in growing some this year but this is my first year of trying and so far from the research I've done beets aren't crazy about our hot, humid, southern climate. Are there varieties of beets that like our climate better than others..what time of year would be best to plant? etc....

Heavy sigh. This is about my 5th or 6th or whatever time trying to grow beets. I keep trying but you probably got it right about the climate. It's crossed my mind but I just hate to fail so I keep trying, thinking there's *got* to be a sweet spot somewhere in the timing. I've tried early fall and spring and late fall and spring. You might have better luck if you're in the upstate where you're a tad cooler than here.

The first cause of failure, non- or just scattered germination, has been fixed when I read you have to soak the seed. I now soak it about 24 hours before sowing. So now it at least germinates. But I can't get them to grow more than about 4" tall before they fail. It can't be the darned nematodes because they're asleep when the beets go in.

This past fall I planted on Oct 2, soil temp 71. They grew nicely to 4" and then I forgot to cover them on one of those early freezing nights and they got blasted. Operator error.

I use the old standard Detroit Red and get it at the feed & seed where a palmfull cost me $1.00. If I ever get the hang of beets, then I'll spend more for other varieties.
One funny story. Fall of '16 (Oct 21) I planted 8' of seed along the side of a bed and they never came up. Come February I planted peas in that bed. Late April when the peas started to flower I was walking along the bed, pulling an occasional weed when lo AND behold.... what's this? BEETS? Yep, about a 4' stretch of healthy beet plants! They eventually made really nice beets and as a bonus, there must have been a few stray seeds in with the reds because two of the plants were lighter in color and made beautiful golden beets! I've never been able to duplicate this feat. And here are the first ones I pulled... proud of those suckers! Oh that I could do that again! Ya think I' holdin' my mouth wrong?

LOL!
What is it about beets?
Maybe we’re all just coddling them too much.

[Nan_PA_6b]

Try beets in part shade. The peas shaded yours the year you got good ones. My garden isn't very sunny, and yet they grow. In hotter climates, they might need some shade. My garden is probably a bit wet, also.

[greenthumbomaha]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

Try beets in part shade. The peas shaded yours the year you got good ones. My garden isn't very sunny, and yet they grow. In hotter climates, they might need some shade. My garden is probably a bit wet, also.

That's a good idea. Mine are always drying out.



- Lisa

[upcountrygirl]

Thanks for the info.

[rhines81]

I grow Wandos, but don't really care for them. I grow several varieties. Lincoln peas never disappoint for flavor or yield, but I am still trying to find out how to successfully replicate the canned Le Sueur Peas that I can't get enough of! I can eat a full can of those in one sitting.

[Shrinkrap]

Like.

[beetkvass]

Looks great! We planted some snow peas nearly a month ago. And I have a bunch of sugar snap to plant soon. I plant them thickly along the inside of our garden fence each spring. It's horse fencing that we use. And we definitely need the support! They easily get 7 ft tall. It's my kids favorite. They love to just eat them raw out of the garden.

I've grown beets here in N GA but the the only ones that consistently did well for me were cylindra beets.

[Gardeneer]

I sowed my peas around early Feb. Ther are up about inch and half. I think i have Early Alaskan variet. Their seeds are not wrinkled.
I just have one row, 15ft long. .
I have two stakes at each end (spaced about 6 inch apart) and continue,wrapping twine around them. So it form some kind rectangular long cage

[Shrinkrap]

Here are my sugar daddy snap peas.