Fall Field Pea Time

GoDawgs · July 19, 2020

Today marks the end of summer planting. Now that the corn is done and stalks removed it's time to plant field peas where those corn rows were. Never let a good row go to waste.

This morning I hoed any weeds in the rows, raked them out and then tilled the rows up with the Mantis. Then a deep trench was hoed down the middle of each row and each one filled twice with water. We're really dry right now so the soil sucked all that water up in a heartbeat.

This evening I came back and opened the furrows, filled them with more water, planted the seed and then watered rows again after covering the seed. I'm going to have to make sure each day those rows don't dry out. The forecast remains in the mid-upper 90's. If I can't get germination this way I'll have to revert to covering the rows with wet newspaper which worked on fall turnips last year.

I'm planting Big Red Ripper. It's what I call a rambunctious vining type, making pods about 10" long. The peas, which are great fresh eating and also can up well, are the usual green when shelled but acquire a pink tint if they start getting real mature. By the time they're dry they're a reddish maroon and make a dandy dry pea too. The seed I'm using has been saved every year from the original purchase five years ago.

After reading an article about it, I'm playing with tying the summer squash to a stake. So far it's doing well and just now starting to produce. I think that keeping the vine off the ground is eliminating problems from insects and, with better air flow, some of the funk that usually comes along.

It's hard to believe that in two weeks or so it will be time to start some of the fall plants. The fall tomatoes and one eggplant are ready to plant out once I find room and enough buckets. A few non-performing spring tomatoes might have to give way to make that happen. This year is moving too fast.

July 19, 2020	#1
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Fall Field Pea Time Today marks the end of summer planting. Now that the corn is done and stalks removed it's time to plant field peas where those corn rows were. Never let a good row go to waste. This morning I hoed any weeds in the rows, raked them out and then tilled the rows up with the Mantis. Then a deep trench was hoed down the middle of each row and each one filled twice with water. We're really dry right now so the soil sucked all that water up in a heartbeat. This evening I came back and opened the furrows, filled them with more water, planted the seed and then watered rows again after covering the seed. I'm going to have to make sure each day those rows don't dry out. The forecast remains in the mid-upper 90's. If I can't get germination this way I'll have to revert to covering the rows with wet newspaper which worked on fall turnips last year. I'm planting Big Red Ripper. It's what I call a rambunctious vining type, making pods about 10" long. The peas, which are great fresh eating and also can up well, are the usual green when shelled but acquire a pink tint if they start getting real mature. By the time they're dry they're a reddish maroon and make a dandy dry pea too. The seed I'm using has been saved every year from the original purchase five years ago. After reading an article about it, I'm playing with tying the summer squash to a stake. So far it's doing well and just now starting to produce. I think that keeping the vine off the ground is eliminating problems from insects and, with better air flow, some of the funk that usually comes along. It's hard to believe that in two weeks or so it will be time to start some of the fall plants. The fall tomatoes and one eggplant are ready to plant out once I find room and enough buckets. A few non-performing spring tomatoes might have to give way to make that happen. This year is moving too fast.