I’ve decided peas are a very strange crop. For 2010, I’d decided to try growing peas in the kitchen garden as my new-to-me vegetable, and so far I’m not impressed. Far from being “as easy to grow as beans,” as one seed catalog assured me, the peas are turning out to be some moody little slowpokes.
When I planted them back on February 3rd, I was sure I’d be eating peas in early April, based on the “days to maturity” numbers on the backs of the seed packets. But those numbers begin to run only after the seeds have germinated. Which took a long time.
And I mean a looooong time.
As of today, March 19th, 44 days and counting, about 10 of the regular garden peas are up, most of those 10 mere pinpoints of green barely visible in the soil. We planted about 40, in two neat, innoculant-sprinkled, parallel lines on either side of the homemade pea fence, and the percentages are not encouraging.
What most of the pea seedlings look like.
Because the other area slated for peas had been severely damaged by the flash flooding, I planted the snap pea seed in the two enormous containers that held our purple-podded pole beans last year. A handful of these are up as well, and looking kind of pitiful, frankly.
None of the ones in the front half of the container had come up, and so yesterday I determined that I would use that space for some lettuce transplants. Imagine my surprise when the first thing the trowel turned up was three pea seedlings — still underground, yes, but within a centimeter or two of breaching the soil line.
“How long does it take you guys?” I asked these pale shoots. They had no answer as I carefully covered them and let them get back to their excruciatingly slow work.
That means there are some peas which are planning to take longer than 45 days to germinate. Does that blow your mind?
When my sister and I planted the seed, we noted that the days to germination were abnormally high, 17 to 20 days. This lag effectively meant that my pea-planting window would close here before I knew if the seeds had taken, since planting after February 15th meant the poor things would be struggling to produce anything just as our late spring heat and humidity ramps up to normal range. No resowing would be possible if they didn’t sprout.
Now I understood why people chit (or presprout) their pea seed ahead of time, and that is probably what I would do if I decide to try growing again. Granddaddy did not seem to think it necessary — but then, he’d be growing a field of peas, not a couple of rows, and even he admitted this spring has been plagued by weird weather.
We’ve had abnormally cool spring temperatures in this part of South Carolina. Add in the usual seasonal rains, plus a few of flash-flood-level intensity, a surfeit of cloudy days, and I have reason to suspect the poor peas’ response to the chilled, soggy soil is not what one would expect in a typical year.
So much for eating peas by April….
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I can’t count how many times that I have been ready to throw in the towel on slow seeds only to find that they had germinated…I hope you enjoy your pea crop :^)
Noelle/azplantlady´s last blog .."Plant As I Say…..NOT As I Do"
Noelle, thanks for the good wishes. I hope I get to taste at least one pea before our weather makes the whole experiment moot.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Hopefully you’ll be eating your peas by the end of May. I laughed at your description “moody little slowpokes”. I hope the peas aren’t listening because then they might get cranky, too! lol! We’ve had another run of beautiful weather with temps hitting the 60′s, but the horrid “s” word is appearing in the forecasts so Spring is not really settled in our area just yet.
Talon´s last blog ..The Chase
Talon, you’re right about them listening; I’d better be careful. I feel sure they can feel my anxiety whenever I went outside to glance at the soil all these weeks. I’d even left off looking (watched pot never boils, and all that) for about a week when I found these shoots finally showing.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Those slowpokey peas! I do love them – so hopefully you will have the joy of having these fresh babies at some point.
Lynn´s last blog ..Canvas garden, stitched garden & history
Lynn, from your mouth to God’s ear!
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Dear Meredith, How very disappointing not to be within sight of eating your own peas. As for pea soup, some while off yet, I imagine. However, as you report, somewhere near the Antipodes, where your peas are currently resting, life stirs. Patience is a virtue.
By the way, do you ever grow mange-tout? I think that I prefer them to garden peas per se.
Edith Hope´s last blog ..You Say Yes, I Say No
Edith, definitely a long way from split pea soup.
I’m not too worried, frankly, as it’s something I’ve never felt the lack of in my garden before, so I’m pretty relaxed about taking whatever comes. (It can be soothing to be a beginner sometimes.)
I think y’all say “mange tout” where we say “snap pea” or “sugar snap pea” or “snow pea,” as all of these varieties are completely edible, pod and all. If that assumption on my part is correct, then yes, I’m growing some mange-touts, and hoping they produce because I love the taste of them!
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
My peas are MUCH slower this year than usual. I wouldn’t judge them based off of this season since our winter has been so cold. Lovely pictures of your pouty peas, though!
Eliza´s last blog ..How to do Kudzu Companion Planting (Sort of…)
Well, Eliza, I will not judge, then, but just get on with it. It is so reassuring to have the report of a local with experience gardening in these conditions.
Thank you!
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Ah but fresh peas are well worth the wait…just ‘give peas a chance’
I hope you end up with a lovely harvest once they take off!
Curbstone Valley Farm´s last blog ..Forget-Me-Nots
CV, you made me giggle.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Meredith,
Last year we planted our peas on January 24th. This year it was the first week of march, ours are just barely showing too. SC is pretty hot and likely both of our peas will not do so great once we get into the 80s. last year 2 13 ft rows gave us maybe 10 gallons of peas we were eating them like crazy. This year Meg planted more then last year and I bet we’ll be lucky to get a few gallons of peas. You do know the greens are yummy in salad!
Randy´s last blog ..Daffodils opened today finally
I think the 80s are just around the corner, Randy. Already we touched 74 one day this week, LOL. It’s like going from winter right into early summer.
Your 10 gallons are making me glad I didn’t plant so much — only two six-foot rows and a couple of large containers’ worth. I give up gardening real estate very slowly; a vegetable has to convince me of its worth first!
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
I’ve never even tried peas because I figured they’d be toast before they were ripe. I’ll have to ask DH if his grandparents grew peas.
Sweet Bay´s last blog ..Blooming Friday ~ Summer, then spring
Well, I’ve never tried before either, Sweet Bay. I’ll let you know how it goes…
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
well good for you for waiting for these little guys! I would have given up on them a long time ago!! Guess I should hold out hope for the carrots and beets that have yet to germinate??
Wendy´s last blog ..Giveaway: smart stick hand blender, seeds, and recipe!
Wendy, believe me, I’d have given up, too, except there wasn’t much else growing. If it had been peak season, I’d never have let valuable space sit “empty” for so long. I think carrots are finicky about germinating, too, so just hang on a minute more.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
You know, its always possible that we will stay unusually cool all the way through August!!! hehe I hope so, how great would that be!? I mean its only fair. And then you’ll have peas doing the little jigs right to your plate.
Jess, I don’t believe it. (Although I wish!) I’ve never yet lived through a Southern summer without testing heat.
Besides, Granddaddy says he foresees a wet and chilly spring, followed by a rapid heat-up to summer, a classic Blackberry Winter, and a scorching, dry summer. And I tend to believe him until he’s proven wrong…
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Well, at least I know not to give peas a go as a beginners project! I hope the moody little things get well underway before the weather heats up too much for them. I do love fresh peas, they remind me of my Great Aunt’s garden and sitting on her back step shelling peas.
Heidi´s last blog ..Blotanical…ing
Heidi, don’t let me dissuade you if your heart’s set on peas! We’re having an abnormal spring, remember. Based on how hot and dry your climate sounds, I’m not sure peas are ideal anyway. However, you said your Great Aunt grew them — which makes me think there are varieties well-adapted to your circumstances.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Good to know that peas take a long while. For me, everything is currently guesswork, although I am keeping a dary of germination times for the years ahead!
The Idiot Gardener´s last blog ..Leek freak-out
IG, it might be these particular circumstances, which are bizarre for this region. Good idea to keep a diary! If I kept a diary, I am sure 45 days would be a record for patience-testing germination for years to come.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
I love fresh, raw peas, and so does my 15-year-old super picky eater. They are worth it if you can nurse them to maturity before the heat kills them! I seem to recall that the last time I planted them, my seed packet had me soak them overnight in water to help with the sprouting process. Don’t know if that’s good or if it works, but maybe that would help in future–assuming that you didn’t do that this time.
Kathy´s last blog ..Good-Bye, Crusher
I did not presoak or chit my peas, Kathy, which I would definitely do differently next go ’round. I do hope I get to taste some fresh from the vine; people who love them tend to rave about the taste, and I don’t recall ever tasting a fresh pea.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Meredith, I have never grown peas and know nothing about it — but is it possible that the it’s just taking longer than usual for your South Carolina soil to reach the temperature at which peas germinate? -Jean
Jean´s last blog ..Gardens Worth Visiting: Sissinghurst
Definitely, Jean. We had two snowfalls after sowing, and lots of freezing nights. It’s not been ideal.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Meredith, It is a good idea to pre sprout peas though I have done it both ways… they are not easy. Loving cooler soil and potash they come up slowly and mine usually get eaten by the rabbit! Good luck with these! Hopefully it will not get to warm too quickly! I look forward to your update. Nothing like a fresh picked snap pea! Thank you again for the package!! I look forward to planting the seeds!! Happy Spring! ;>)
Carolflowerhillfarm´s last blog ..Winter Melts Away! A Garden Walkabout!
Now, see, Carol, you should write the seed catalog text. You’d never write, “As easy to grow as beans,” with that reasoned and experienced explanation. I don’t know if it’s a rabbit or what, but when we got back from our spring break trip, several of the seedlings had been snipped off at the base. The cats, of course, had to be confined indoors while we were away; Leo goes back on patrol tomorrow morning, and hopefully he can dissuade whatever’s munching them.
So glad you got the package and liked it! Happy Spring to you, too!
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Like someone else mentioned, ‘give peas a chance.’ I don’t know how early they can be planted elsewhere, but we won’t even be sowing peas around here for a few more weeks. Cool tolerant they are, but they do need some warmth. Good luck with them!!!
jodi (bloomingwriter)´s last blog ..Spotlight Saturday: Have you visited This blogger? Introducing Cindee
Yeah, Jodi, I think I may have stunted them by following the local agricultural university’s very precise guidelines, plus assuming all was well when we had some tantalizing glimpses of an early spring the first week of February. The weather has been downright freaky this season…
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
Meredith I don’t grow peas but maybe the ground temperature also had something to do with the germination this year. I know we are 3 weeks behind with spring this year. Its good atleast to see that they have germinated – thats really promising. Hopefully the warmer spring weather will help them on their way and you’ll be popping those pods by early May.
Rosie´s last blog ..Male catkins and female flowers on springtime stems
Definitely, Rosie. Soil temperature always has such an influence, and it’s still unseasonably cool, in my opinion. The daffodils are late to bloom, and everything is taking its sweet time unfolding to the spring sunlight. Hopefully I can get a few of those who sprouted all the way to harvest…
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
aloha merideth,
i’ve never tried to grow peas, and have just put in my bok choy and choy sum and they sprouted in a few days, so i don’t think i would even consider trying those out….btw – i loved your post before on st. paddy’s day…your photos are spectacular in this new format….stunning
noel´s last blog ..The Hot, the Loud and the Proud (Coming Soon )
Yum, bok choy. I hope you have great success with them. Mustards and cabbages usually sprout pretty quickly for me, too. (Can’t remember if choys are officially cabbages or mustards. I know Tatsoi is a mustard.)
Thanks for the compliments, Noel. You’re sweet.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
I have my sweet peas ready to move to presprouting…Then it’s to a safe spot where all the pea eating critters can’t get to them…Where ever will that be! Pea eating pygmy rabbits killed Mr I’s gardening spirit early in our marriage and he hasn’t been interested in gardening since then..They were baby rabbits:) by the way. gail Happy first day of spring
Gail´s last blog ..Awakening~GGW~Picture This Contest
Oh, dear, Gail. We had a bit of trouble with rabbits until the cats started going outside and Leo killed a baby — and then not another loss to them all season. Although it made my heart hurt to see the dead baby bunny on my front porch…
Still, I think they wouldn’t leave any fresh salad makings for us in spring if given half a chance.
Meredith´s last blog ..slowpokes
I heard that peas like the cooler weather. I have never tried to grow them for that reason. But I love peas. I am sure you will be glad you waited when you sit down to eat your own freshly picked peas!
debsgarden´s last blog ..Tiger in the Wild
I sure hope you’re right, Deb. Attempting any plant that likes cooler weather is not exactly a good bet in South Carolina in general.
Patience, my friend, patience… You are right, preparing the seeds in advance would help. I always place them in a paper towel and keep moist for several days. Peas like cool weather and usually are not fussy. I also read somewhere that it’s recommended to move them to a different spot after 1-2 seasons. I haven’t done it for 5 years. This year, I changed its location. Good luck!
Tatyana@MySecretGarden´s last blog ..Awakening
I do need to work on the patience part, Tatyana.
I’ll definitely presprout next year – if I have a garden established by spring. As for moving them around, that won’t be a problem, as we won’t be here, either!
I live in New England and if I plant peas by St Patricks Day and I plant peas three weeks later in April, there will only be a weeks difference in the harvest. The harvest is always sometime in June for me and always longer than the seed packet says.
Daphne´s last blog ..Harvest Monday – 22 March 2010
That little difference in harvest times, Daphne, really? I don’t think our peas will survive until June, as it says they do not do well once it goes into the 80s — and we’ll do that by May, if not before. Well, at least I’m forewarned.