pea variety guide

What are the different types of peas?

What is the best pea to grow?

Six of the best peas to grow

Pea 'Avola' 'Avola' is hardy first early pea. ...
Pea 'Canoe' 'Canoe' is a maincrop pea that bears long, slightly curved and pointed pods containing up to up 12 peas, on almost leafless stems, making for easy picking. ...
Pea 'Kelvedon Wonder' ...
Pea 'Hurst Green Shaft'

Which peas are the sweetest?

Garden peas are also sometimes called sweet peas or English peas. The pods are firm and rounded, and the round peas inside need to removed, or shelled, before eating (the pods are discarded). The peas are sweet and may be eaten raw or cooked; these are the common peas that are sold shelled and frozen.

What is the most common type of pea?

English peas, also known as shell peas and garden peas are the most common type of peas. Garden peas have smooth and fleshy, cylindrical green pods that are curved and plump. Since their pod is tough and fibrous, it cannot be digested and this variety of peas needs to be shelled.

Can I plant a fresh pea?

When to Plant Peas

Generally speaking, plant peas as soon as the ground thaws and can be worked in the spring—even if more snow is in the forecast. For a more measured approach, plan to sow seeds outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost date, when soil temperatures reach at least 45°F (7°C).

What type of veg is a pea?

The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a (pea) flower.

Do peas need to climb?

Though bush peas are only 2 to 3 feet tall, they will flop on the ground if you don't give them something to climb on. Climbing peas may reach 6 to 8 feet tall and they need a sturdy trellis. Peas climb with 1" tendrils that they wrap around anything that's less than about a quarter inch.

Can you plant peas in the same place every year?

Peas do add nitrogen back into the soil at the end of the season but you want to be careful not to plant peas in the same place year after year. The reason to rotate crops is that plants of the same family often need the same nutrients.

Do pea plants come back every year?

Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) only live for a year, dying after setting seed. But don't let this put you off as they are super easy to grow from seed. Perennial species such as Lathyrus latifolius come back year after year, but mostly lack fragrance and there are fewer to choose from.

Can you eat pea pods raw?

Sugar snap and snow peas can be enjoyed raw as a nutritious and healthy snack — simply remove their hard outer string. Both can also be added to stir-fries or salads for an extra boost of sweetness.

What is a pea plant called?

Pea, (Pisum sativum), also called garden pea, herbaceous annual plant in the family Fabaceae, grown virtually worldwide for its edible seeds.

Are pea pods poisonous?

The seeds of sweet peas are mildly poisonous containing lathyrogens that, if ingested, in large quantities can cause a condition called Lathyrus. Symptoms of Lathyrus are paralysis, labored breathing and convulsions.

What is the string on a pea pod called?

Preparation. Snap peas are often served in salads or eaten whole. They may also be stir-fried or steamed. Before being eaten, mature snap pea pods may need to be "stringed," which means the membranous string running along the top of the pod from base to tip is removed.

Can you eat English pea pods?

Unlike sugar snap peas or snow peas, the fibrous pods of English peas cannot be eaten (although they can be used to enhance the flavor of vegetable stock). Shell English peas immediately before they're to be cooked: Break off the stem and pull the fibrous string down the length of the pod.

How many peas are in a pod?

Pea plants usually produce 5 or 6 peas in each pod.

Should I soak peas before planting?

Some pea (Pisum sativum) seeds will look wrinkled. Most of them have hard coats, and all benefit from soaking before planting. Soak them overnight in warm water. This will expedite the germination process.

Do peas need to be dried before planting?

My experience is that they don't need to be dried first. I concur with Joseph. There is no dormancy period for pea seed. Once the seed is mature, even before the pod dries down, the seed can germinate if there is enough moisture.

How far apart do you plant pea plants?

Plant the first sowing in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. In well-drained soil, sow 1-1 1/2" apart in a 3" band (25 seeds/ft.), 1/2-1" deep. Do not thin. Varieties under 3' tall can be sown without support in rows 12-18" apart.

Why Mendel choose pea plant for his experiment?

Mendel choose pea plants for his experiments because of the following reasons: (i) The flowers of this plant are bisexual. (ii) They are self-pollinating, and thus, self and cross-pollination can easily be performed. ... (iv) They have a shorter life span and are the plants that are easier to maintain.

Is a pea fruit or vegetable?

Vegetables can be grouped according to the edible part of each plant: leaves (lettuce), stalks (celery), roots (carrot), tubers (potato), bulbs (onion), and flowers (broccoli). In addition, fruits such as the tomato and seeds such as the pea are commonly considered vegetables.