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naturegirl_2007

Lots of off types in my peas this year

I planted short rows of 6 varieties of snap, snow, and shelling peas this year. Three of the 6 are producing some pods that are not true to type. That seems excessive. The varieties are from various vendors. A snow pea with long pods has some filling out like shelling peas and those pods are tough and fibrous. A snap pea has some pods that look more like overgrown snow peas and they are sweet and tender much like the "normal" snap pods. Another snap pea has some pods that are fibrous and when bent show the membrane that shelling peas contain. Yet all the pods of this variety look very much alike.

It is not that I have mixed various types in a row by mistake because the oddities are not like another variety. Plus I don't see how I would mess up that bad. I figure peas are unlikely to cross pollinate and even if they did it wouldn't show up until saved seed was grown out.

Any ideas why this year is giving me so many off types. I'm considering ordering from Johnnys next year since I have seen info about them working hard to remove off types from their breeding stock. I'm sick of biting into what I expect to be a tender pea and ending up with a mouthful of tough pod fibers.

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