Peas: planting and care

Peas have been grown in our country for several centuries. Previously, before the advent of potatoes, this plant was cultivated along with grain crops. Even now, experienced gardeners are trying to plant different varieties of peas in order to pamper themselves with a tasty product all summer long.

Pea varieties

There are 79 varieties this crop that is grown in our country. They are divided into several types:

• Sugar varieties are perfect for fresh use. Coarse fibers do not form in the shells of these varieties, so peas of these varieties can be eaten directly with them.
• Brain pea varieties are excellent for making canned food and for freezing.
• And shelling peas are usually sold in dry form in the store. It goes into cooking for soups and pea porridge.

Alpha peas belong to the shelling variety. This is a very small plant up to 15 cm in height. Its pods grow up to 7 cm in length and are distinguished by large round grains. It is used both fresh and for making canned food.

The Ambrosia variety requires support when growing, as it stretches up to 70 cm. This variety belongs to the sugar variety, so it can be eaten together with the leaves. It has meaty, tender and juicy peas that can be frozen or canned.

The Premium variety has very high yields. One plant can produce up to 50 pods. The bush turns out to be voluminous and lush and stretches up to 80 cm.

Zhegalov 112 peas are a sugar type with an average ripening period. It ripens in 60 days. These peas form straight pods with 7 peas. The taste is very juicy, nutritious and sweet.

Oscar peas also belong to mid-season varieties. It forms large peas with a diameter of up to 1 cm. It is usually consumed both fresh and frozen or for making canned food.

The varieties of early ripeness include the pea variety Slider Sugar. It is distinguished by the fact that it does not require support for growth and has a very long fruiting period. Peas of this variety can also be consumed fresh, canned or frozen.

Planting peas

Grow This vegetable is very simple, although it is quite demanding to care for. The best time for planting peas is the last ten days of April, immediately after the soil dries out from the melted snow. If you choose early ripening varieties, you can plant them in the summer. First, the seeds need to be heated with a solution of boric acid. To do this, add 2 g of boric acid to a 10 liter bucket of water and heat it to 40 degrees. Place the seeds in this solution for 5 minutes. After this, dry the seed.

Choose sunny areas for peas, where groundwater does not approach the surface closer than 1 meter. The soil should be light and fertile. In the fall, you can apply fertilizer to the selected area. This can be superphosphate and potassium salt, and in the spring, enrich the soil with nitrate. For planting, furrows are made in the soil at a distance of half a meter from each other. The depth of the furrow should be about 6 cm and the width no more than 20 cm.

Now add compost mixed with ash into each furrow. After this, sprinkle with soil. The depth of the furrow should now be halved. Sow the pea seeds, keeping a distance of about 6 cm between the peas. Then sprinkle everything with soil. To protect crops from birds, cover the top of the beds with a special film or net. A week after planting, the first shoots will appear.

Pea care

This plant really needs moisture. Lack of water leads to its death. Before the flowers appear, peas need to be water once a week depending on the weather. Loosen the soil periodically to prevent a crust from forming. During the flowering period, water the plant with plenty of water twice a week.

Tall pea varieties require support. A mesh stretched between stakes is suitable for this. The lattice of the gazebo can serve as a support. In this case, peas can even be planted for decorative purposes.

When the pea shoots reach a length of 8 cm, it is necessary to add nitrogen fertilizers. Before the flowers form, the plants are fed again. To do this, use a solution of mullein or fertilizers with microelements diluted in water. During fruit formation, fertilizing with mullein solution is also carried out.

Approximately 30 days after the start of flowering, harvesting begins. When green, peas are removed every 2-3 days. To obtain seed material, it is necessary to allow the lower pea pods to fully ripen.

When ripening is complete, the tops need to be cut off. The roots are dug up and chopped into pieces. They serve as excellent fertilizer, so chopped roots can be buried back in the ground for this purpose.