Growing Sugarpeas

Peas belong to the vegetable family known as legumes whose plants produce pods with enclosed seeds. Legumes are protein-rich, low fat, nutritional additions to almost any meal, and peas are certainly no exception. In fact only lima beans are a better vegetable source of protein than peas.

To me, there is nothing better than fresh peas stripped from their pods, boiled quickly and then tossed with some sweet butter and salt; they are sweet, tender and delicious, and so very nutritious.

Green garden peas are a valuable source of protein, iron and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber helps to reduce serum cholesterol thus reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Sugar snap peas and the like, contain much less protein, but they are an excellent source of iron and vitamin C that work to keep your immune system functioning properly.

Pea is a frost-hardy, cool-season vegetable that can be grown throughout most of the United States and Canada, wherever a cool season of sufficient duration exists. For gardening purposes, peas may be classified as garden peas (English peas), snap peas and snow peas (sugar peas). Garden pea varieties have smooth or wrinkled seeds.

The smooth-seeded varieties tend to have more starch than the wrinkled-seeded varieties. The wrinkled-seeded varieties are generally sweeter and usually preferred for home use. The smooth-seeded types are used more often to produce ripe seeds that are used like dry beans and to make split-pea soup.

By far the most popular pea in the modern backyard garden is the smaller dwarf varieties of snap or sugar peas (snow peas) that are fast growing, need little staking or trellis support, and can be eaten pod-and-all, fresh from the vine.

Snap peas have been developed from garden peas to have low-fiber pods that can be snapped and eaten along with the immature peas inside. Snow peas are meant to be harvested as flat, tender pods before the peas inside develop at all.

Peas take so well to freezing that only about 5 percent of the nation's pea crop are sold fresh. Most of the pea crop is sold canned, frozen, and to a lesser degree, dried. Frozen peas retain their color, flavor and texture much better than canned peas, but neither compares to fresh peas right out of the pod.

Peas will grow on most soils, although they prefer a medium well-dug soil with plenty of organic material. Do not add nitrogen to the soil before planting (or after) - peas extract nitrogen from the air sufficient for the needs. An over-rich soil will cause lots of leafy growth, but a reduced cop of peas.

A sunny area is best, although peas are tolerant of partial shade, especially if the shade occurs during the hottest part of the day. Remember that the taller varieties will cast quite a shadow over any other crops nearby. A good plan is to use the space around the pea plants for smaller shade-tolerant plants vegetables - radishes are an excellent choice.

Try sowing a couple of different varieties over a month or so. You will then be able to harvest for many weeks from mid-summer to lare fall.

Plant peas 1 to 1-1/2 inches  (3 to 5 cm) deep and one inch apart in single or double rows. Allow 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) between single or pairs of rows. Allow 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) between double rows in pairs.

The germinating seeds and small seedlings are easily injured by direct contact with fertilizer or improper cultivation. Cultivate and hoe shallowly during the early stages of growth.

Peas can be mulched to cool the soil, reduce moisture loss and keep down soil rots. Some of the snap and sugar peas are vining types with heights of 6 feet or more that require fencing or other supports.

Harvest edible-pod peas when they are flat. Use both hands. Holding the plant stem in one hand use the other hand to pull off the pod. Using one hand, you can easily pull up the entire plant.

The smaller pods are sweeter and more tender. Use them for eating raw and cook the larger ones. The shelled peas should be plump but not large. Check one until you become familiar with the appearance. The plumpest peas should be gathered before the pod starts to wrinkle on the stem. Old peas taste starchy and mealy.

Fresh peas keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. The sugar in them quickly begins to turn to starch even while under refrigeration. As much as 40 percent of the sugar is converted in a few hours. Store unwashed peas in perforated plastic bags for a few days. The sooner they are eaten the better.