Growing Peas: How To Sow, Care And Harvest Pea Plants
Growing Peas: Peas are a favorite of many people and they can be started as soon as the ground is warm enough to till. The pea is one of the first vegetables that can be planted in the spring. Planting and Growing Pea Plants Planting is best started when the ground maintains a temperature of 45 to 50 degrees. They can be started approximately 6 weeks prior to the last frost. Before planting seeds, soak them for about four hours in plain water. When you are ready to plant they should be placed in the ground about an inch deep with about 4 inches between plants. Regular watering is a must when growing peas. They need a lot of water. They can have mulch placed around them to help retain moisture. The best type for growing peas is either peat moss or straw mulch. The Peas will not need fertilizer as long as the soil content is rich enough. If you do prefer to use a fertilizer, do not use one with nitrogen. Since peas like to climb, it is a good idea to provide something for them to grab onto and grow up. There are several options. One is to use stakes and wire netting that you can purchase from a plant nursery to the stakes. The stakes do not need to be more than three feet tall. If the plant outgrows the stakes, it needs to be pinched back to allow the peas to have more growing potential. There are vining varieties of Peas that will grow up to 5 feet. They should have a trellis provided on which to grow. Harvesting Peas When you are three weeks into the growing season you should see white flowers and pods begin to grow on your plants. The pods will be around 1 ½ to 6 inches. They are usually harvested before becoming quite mature since this gives the best flavor and sweet taste that peas are known for. The ones that are ready will be on the bottom and they should be picked first. This will allow the plant to produce more peas. 
They will be ready to harvest when the pod is shiny and appears swollen. When you feel them, the peas can be felt through the pod. The peas should be picked carefully. Do not yank the peas from the vine because you will likely pull it out of the ground. Peas should be used very shortly after picking or you are taking a chance on them losing their sweet flavor. Although, they can be frozen to preserve this taste. Pea Plant Disease and garden Pests There are garden pests that you will have to contend with when you grow peas. One of these is mice. They are very damaging to peas and there is really very little one can do to prevent this. Unless you have cats running around your garden, the mice will most likely show up. One thing many people recommend is mixing a spray with 2 tablespoons of hot sauce and 3 cups water. Spray on the plants and spray them again if it rains. Some other pests are the greenfly, pea weevil, pea moth and pea thrip. An insecticide that will not cause harm to the insects that are beneficial for your garden should be used. If you are in doubt as to what to use, most nurseries can advise you on the best product for ridding your garden of pests. This page listed under Gardening Plants
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