It really just takes 5 minutes to sow some peas. With the warmer weather finally on its way, this is the perfect time to get the peas in the ground, as they like a bit of cold to start with. If you’ve been putting off getting into the garden because of more pressing commitments, I encourage you to start now and your taste buds will thank you later!
Grab your hoe, seeds, labels, markers and watering can and you’ll be onwards and upwards!
Sow peas 1 inch apart and 1 inch deep and you can always harvest every other pea at 3 inches as a pea shoot for salads and leave the rest to grow to full height.
Trellises for snow or snap peas (which can grow up to 2 metres) can be added within a couple of weeks- so don’t worry about that now. Trellises can be made from reusable plastic netting (a 6 inch square mesh makes for easy end-of-season cleanup), with bamboo poles woven through them. Shall we say ‘easy peasy’?
Tip: remember to wear gardening gloves when handling aged bamboo poles-they can give nasty cuts!
Pea and bean seeds will last 3-5 years, so bear this in mind when choosing your seeds for the year. I often practice successional sowing by sowing one type of pea in a row one week, and then sowing another type 2-3 weeks later in a row just 5-6 inches away from the first. You can also add some pretty pink colour by planting a thinner row of (inedible) sweet peas next to your edible peas.
Remember to keep the peas moist if lack of moisture or rain is a problem; you can even soak the peas first indoors and allow them to sprout before planting, to speed up the germination time.
For and extra resource, I quite like the Farmer’s Almanac run-down of planting, watering, and soil preparation tips for peas.
Happy sowing!