Peas or peas, scientific name Pisum sativum, they are an excellent legume, with great nutritional properties and a great source of protein, which is why they are a food that is especially appreciated by vegetarians and vegans to replace animal protein and also by those who, for various reasons, want to eat less of said protein . As with all legumes, there is nothing better than growing your own plants to enjoy organic farming that is much healthier and tastier. We should also not forget the well-known flower of the pea plant, which is decorative, fragrant and much appreciated in gardening, although these varieties of flowering peas are not edible.
if you want to learn how to plant peasjoin us in this EcologíaVerde article in which you will see a complete and easy guide to be successful in your plantation.
When to plant peas
We start by clarifying when to sow peas. The best time to plant the pea seeds is, with most varieties and climates, in autumnafter the warmest summer temperatures and with the winter frosts still far away.
However, some varieties of peas allow a much earlier sowing and in very cold climates it is advisable to sow earlier so that the frosts do not arrive with the seedlings too vulnerable. In these cases, it is possible plant peas in summer, especially at the end of this one. In addition, peas of wrinkled varieties also accept spring planting quite well.
How to plant peas in a pot
We arrived at the basic guide with which you will learn how to plant peas at home. These legumes accept cultivation both in the garden or soil as well as in a pot or urban garden. For plant peas in urban garden (table cultivation) or in a potfollow these steps:
- Soak the pea seeds for 24 hours. The ideal in a pot is for peas with a low bush, with a smaller growth.
- Prepare the substrate for the container, which we will make with the universal mixture of coconut fiber, earthworm humus and peat in equal parts, with an addition of vermiculite and perlite.
- Find a pot or grow table that is deep enough. It does not need more than about 15 cm deep, since this plant is not demanding in this regard. Make a hole or groove of about 2 or 3 cm, with your fingers and add about 3 seeds per group, spaced about 20 cm apart.
- After sowing it is important to provide a good abundant irrigation, with water spray or in fine jets so that the seeds are not dragged. Depending on the variety and temperatures, you will be able to see your peas germinate between 10 and 20 days later.
This method is also valid for making germinate peas in seedbed and then plant sprouted peas to their final location.
How to plant peas in soil
When it comes to how to plant peas in the gardenit is convenient to follow this other guide, because many aspects are the same as when doing it in a pot but others change or are added.
- It is advisable to leave the seeds to soak for a day or a night, just like when we prepare them for a pot or seedbed.
- In the case of peas in soil, although it is a legume with a great capacity for fixing nitrogen in the soil, it is advisable to add some fertilizer to it to optimize its development possibilities. Adding worm humus or compost to the soil and stirring it well will always be worth it, although it is also possible to add it later when covering the seeds.
- Then prepare one or several furrows, where you want to plant the peas. It needs less than 5 cm deep and if there are several furrows, it is convenient to separate them about 40-50 cm from each other.
- Add about 3 or 4 seeds in a small pile at the same point in the row and leave about 15-20 cm of separation between the groups. Depending on whether they are short or larger peas, it will be convenient to widen or reduce the space between them.
- Then cover the seeds with the soil enriched with fertilizer and, finally, water abundantly. It is important that the soil is loose and has good water drainage capacity, since peas require abundant watering and should not end up waterlogged.
- When they grow up, the time will come stake the peas. This can be done in many ways, although, if you have planted in a garden in long furrows, the most comfortable and effective thing will be to put poles nailed next to the rows of peas and extend a mesh of the many types that exist along these poles, fixing them then with ropes, bridles or any other method.
- Once the mesh is in place, we can help small plants by manually entangling them with it, very carefully. This can be done after the winter if we plant them in the fall. In fact, in cold or windy weather you can help protect the seedlings by placing a bottomless plastic bottle around each seedling during the cold months.
How long does a pea plant take to grow?
We end this guide to planting peas by clarifying when are the peas picked to be able to enjoy your crop. If we have planted before winter, which is usually the best option, we will be able to harvest the peas around May in a staggered way, when the pods are already bulging and almost cylindrical in shape.
As a final tip, we recommend that you plant other vegetables that grow well next to this plant near the peas. Peas grow well near beans, corn, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, turnips, radishes and turnips as they benefit each other and should be avoided near garlic and onions. If you are interested in learning more about Vegetables that grow well together, check out this other guide from EcologíaVerde.
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