How to Keep Peas Growing in a Garden
High in nutrition, peas grow easily in home gardens, even in cool climates. They require only 60 days to grow and prefer a neutral soil pH. The standard pea known by most people is the English pea, but you can also grow snap peas and snow peas. Peas grow on vines or compact bushes and require moist soil to produce a flavorful crop. They prefer full sun but do not produce well in hot weather. Time your crop carefully to keep peas growing in your garden. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Turn over the soil as soon as the ground is thawed in a well-draining site. As peas prefer cool temperatures, sow seeds as early as possible to get a continuous crop.
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Sow the seed in shallow furrows 6 to 7 inches apart. Cover the seeds with an inch of soil. Pat the seeds gently into the soil with the back of a shovel.
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Sow another crop one week later, and another crop a week after that, to keep peas growing continuously during cool weather.
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Water plants during dry periods to keep the soil lightly moist. Water the soil, not plant foliage, to avoid spreading plant diseases
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Train the pea vines or bushes to grow up trellises for support and produce a high yield.
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Spread a layer of mulch 3 to 4 inches thick at the base of plants to retain moisture.
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Weed the garden beds by hand or by shallow tilling.
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Fertilize pea plants with low-nitrogen fertilizer to avoid growing thick foliage at the expense of pea production.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also use tomato cages or simple chicken wire as trellises to support pea plants.
Heat-tolerant varieties are available for continuous growing, even in hot weather that standard pea varieties do not prefer.
Treat pea seeds carefully, advises the University of Minnesota Extension. If they become cracked, they will not germinate.
References
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