fliptx, I just recieved an order of seeds from the site you posted in an earlier msg. AgroHaitai, Ontario. Among the seeds I ordered is Ho Lan Dow VPs003. It is one that can be planted for yang shoots and leaves (Dow Miao). We still have plenty of pea growing weather left here in San Diego and will be sowing some next week for the pods and am planting some today in wide pots for shoots, but will still be growing them outside.

Reefisher, had you tried the Ho Lan Dow variety before? If not, please let me know how they turn out if you get a chance. I'm trying out some Oregon Sugar Pod as shoots. I planted them a couple days ago and they're just starting to come up. Won't be long now!

The peas (Ho Lan Dow) sprouted two days ago. Almost 100% germination rate, same with some tall green bok choy and choy sum from the same seed company (AgroHaitai) I'm impressed. Some seed companies (Burpee has been the worst) have pitiful germination rates.

Really any pea variety so long as it grows well for you will do fine for you. To be sure, check with your local Extension Office to see which varietes are best suited for your area. Check my trade page for information on how to locate your Extension Office.

I ate some pea shoots today that I grew from Oregon Sugar Pod seeds. They were tasty. Sort of... spinach-y. I tossed them with hot noodles and sesame oil.

Following up on the Ho Lan Dow VPs003 from AgroHaiTai. The March planting was okay. Ate the shoots for awhile, then just let them go for pods. Mildew set in pretty bad about May, diminishing supply of quality pods. Let them go to seed. About Oct. I gathered up the dried peas, soaked them in a bleach solution, left the trellis in place and planted the peas without any soil prep. This crop is doing better than the spring crop, in spite of doing everything wrong. Like re-planting in the same spot, using seeds subjected to mildew and aphid attack(virus). Shoots are very tastey and plentiful.
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Picture taken today 12/02/06

Very pretty, Reefisher.

I have begun to suspect that powdery mildew has nearly everything to do with season and little to do with anything else. Summer squash planted 6 and 8 weeks later develop mildew at nearly the same time as the first planting. The only significant difference is that the first planting takes a dramatic nosedive whereas the young plants can tough it out a little better.

You should know that AgroHaiTai website is down today. I was looking earlier as we are doing some serious planning for the new season right now. Hope they are just busy with publishing their 2007 catalog. I remember that they had quite a 2006 offering.

About the last veggies from our garden were the shoots from late-planted Oregon sugar pod peas. Picked while they were covered with an October frost just beginning to melt in an early morning sun. Nice to know that somewhere outside of my now frozen and snowy landscape, there are fresh green pea vines with purple flowers.

Steve

What I can't figure out about the powdery mildew here, is that the summer squash I planted at the same time as the peas, succumbed a few weeks ago. It (zucchini and yellow straight neck) had a great start, but didn't produce much before it was hopeless. Days have been pretty constant at about 70-80 degrees with little humidity, but nights drop to the 40s. Maybe this variety of pea is more resistant than most.

Well, now I'm questioning my supposition, Reefisher.

Usually, powdery mildew is a late season problem in my garden. Many plants get it but squash & melons seem to be the most susceptible. The peas from an April planting are long gone by late Summer/early Autumn but the vines have some mildew by the time they are pulled in July.

Planting Oregon SugarPod in August doesn't really allow for pod development here - therefore, we are just growing them for the tendrils. They don't get tall enuf before frosts begin (usually after mid-September) to even require a trellis.

Older bean plants also get mildew but the ground for early peas usually provides a home for a July planting of green beans. Seems to work without much trouble altho' if I run very late into the month - frost may kill the beans before I get a crop.

If your March crop got mildew in May, I think you've just found that this variety prefers Autumn growing conditions.

Maybe, we can "tear a page from your garden notebook" and plant Ho Lan Dow late. I don't see a "VPs003" behind the name but Stokes sells Ho Lan Dow - which means I don't really have an excuse for not giving 'em a try over all these years of pea-pickin'. I've got to say that your temps in December look to be warmer than ours were in late September but . . . you never can tell.

Steve

The flowers on your plants are lovely, Reefisher. I've been eyeing the Agrohaitai site, hoping that their online ordering will be restored soon.