I have sugar snap peas that are growing like crazy! I am planning on keeping them in a container outside with a trellis. When is it safe to put them out? Thanks in advance!

Melanie

I've put a link below to the CSU Master Gardener garden notes site. This site has quite a few garden notes in PDF format that you can download. For your pea question I would download Garden Notes #719 (Vegetable Garden Hints). I think snap peas are covered on page 6. Also you should download Garden Notes #720 (Vegetable Planting Guide) to get an idea of planting times.

-Doug
-Lyons, CO

Welcome to RMG!

Assuming you've had them growing inside, I recommend waiting till this next little batch of snow is past and then going ahead and planting them out. NOAA shows snow Wednesday nite thru Thursday nite and then getting back up into the upper 50's again on Friday and staying there for a while. If you can, stick them in a cold garage or somewhere for the next couple days--anywhere that'll get at least down into the 40's--to start hardening them off---or, alternately, stick them outside for several hours when the temp's above freezing and keep them in a cool to cold place when they're inside. Then plant them in your pot and cover them up with an old sheet or lightweight blanket (NOT plastic) for the first few nites. After that they should be ok unless it's getting into the mid/low 20's---and you can still cover them if/when that happens. Once they're hardened off, peas can take cold weather just fine.

Whenever you do decide to put them out, be sure you have your pot in a place that will get as much sun as possible. I'd recommend 4-5 hours at a minimum--and 7 or 8 would be better. On the other hand, since peas like it cool, if you can possibly put them in morning/midday sun they'll probably do better than if they're in midday/afternoon sun on the west side of your house.

I LOVE raw peas,
Skybird

Thank you both for your responses...both very helpful! If I plan on putting them in containers, what size/depth is recommended? Thank you again!!

Melanie

I'll just drift a little off-topic and tell you about a rule of thumb that's worked well for me for a number of years. But, it has to do with sowing of peas outdoors.

If you have mahonia (Oregon grape) in your yard or nearby, when those yellow blossoms begin to open - that's a good time for the first pea seed to go in the ground.

It may seem a little late with something that we keep hearing should be the 1st in the ground each year. But, the University of Minnesota extension tells us that pea seed takes over a month to germinate when the soil temperatures is only just above 40°F. Hardly makes sense to rush them into the ground only to then wait 3, 4, 5 weeks to see the plants emerge.

Just my 2 cents . . .

digitS'

Bonnie

That's especially true with high-sugar varieties. You recognize them by the wrinkled seed. When the seed dries in those types, I guess it is the endosperm that sort of collapses as the sugar crystalizes (maybe). This causes the seed coat to wrinkle.

Other peas with smooth seeds are filled with starch rather than sugar. They won't rot as easily. Alaska is one that I've grown as a shell pea. It isn't really as good (& sweet) as others, IMO.

What I plant earliest . . . is Oregon Sugar Pod which is a snow pea. Peas have the most confusing names. Sugar Pod seed doesn't have much sugar and is therefore a smooth pea and won't rot easily.

And for you Bonnie, it's the immature pod that one is harvesting so that saves a week or so in harvest time compared to shell peas. This is especially true with the shorter snow pea varieties.

digitS' rambling on & on, over the keyboard . . .

Oh. THAT kind of pea. Never Mind.

Bonnie

Melanie

I recommend keeping them cold and waiting till the weekend to actually plant them (and the lettuce) outside—after the possible snow we’re expecting in the next couple days. It’s supposed to be near 70 by then with nitetime temps above freezing and it would be a great time to get them started. After the first few nites outside they should be fine unless it gets really, really cold out again, and, even then, if they’re covered with snow before the temps get really cold, they’ll still be fine. Along with Digit, I recommend you put them in as big a pot as possible. The more soil there is, the less it will heat up during the day—and that can be important with peas. Also, the more soil there is, the easier it will be to keep them wet, which will also help them grow quickly and be good. With anything you’re growing in pots, the more soil volume you have, the easier they’ll be to manage.

And, Bonnie, I wouldn’t give up on yours yet. Your nite time temps—and often daytime temps—are colder than ours down here on the front range, so your soil temps are undoubtedly colder too, and they’re probably just biding their time before they poke their heads out in search of sunshine. Keep the faith!

Happy spring all,
Skybird

It looks like there's little green hair plugs all over my pea patch.

I did see this in my Organic Gardening and will try it:

Stronger Seedlings
University of Massachusetts study found 10 days after planting average seedling height of pea seeds soaked for 12 to 48 hours in either vitamin C or folic acid was 40% greater than that of the seeds soaked in plain water. Root length, seedling weight and germination were also enhanced.

OG advice: dissolve half of a 150-milligram vitamin C tablet in a quart of water and soak peas for a day or so then plant.

Bonnie

I probably should repeat it once again, because it works so well. Buy pea seed in bulk, by the 1/2 lb or full lb. Lots of sources out there - I get mine from Johnny's at around $8 a lb. Then I work the soil, dig a small 1" deep trench, and sprinkle in the seeds, almost touching one another. A lb will do 32 feet. Soak the soil and peas with a spray hose so you don't wash off the dirt, and let the peas sort it out as who gets to grow and who doesn't. You will fill the particular environment with pea plants to the maximum they can do. Lots and lots of peas. I used 1/2 pound each of a 56 day and a 65 day maturity dates, so we'll not be overwhelmed.

In the early summer, my now 10 yr old daughter would disappear. Then we'd look out at the knee high greenery of the veggie garden, and see pea husks come flying up vertically out of the garden as she munched away.

Anyway, I decided plan B was in order, so I used the wintersowing method this time. This way, I can control the germination, they will already be hardened off, and by the time they are in the ground, they should be big enough to defend themselves better. Just in case it was those nasty cutworms again, I think I will just stick a skewer alongside each stem when I plant them out.

I'm irritated that I've lost two weeks, but I'm not giving up on fresh peas yet!

Bonnie

I finally got mine planted on Tuesday. Forgot to sprinkle inoculant on them this year, but since they're planted in the same place every year, there should be plenty of yummy nitrogen built up in the soil for them to enjoy. Didn't have time to soak them in Vitamin C, but I'll be interested to hear what results others have when doing that.

Happy pea-ing,
Skybird

Gonna get out there and do some weeding. It's a good way to spend my birthday.

Happy Birthday! -late -

This thread got me thinking I really need to get my peas started...then realized, I'm not growing any peas this year! How's that for pea-ness envy, LOL.

I have pea sprouts!!! About 1/2 a dozen of the ones I direct sowed are just starting to pop up, plus most of the ones I wintersowed are sprouting too. There's a lesson to be learned here I think.

Direct sown on 3/27, germinated on 4/24
Wintersown on 4/14, germinated on 4/24

Assuming that the wintersown ones survive being transplanted to the garden, I think I'm sold on starting them that way next time. Maybe I'll start some of the green beans in containers outside too to compare results, though it really wouldn't be "winter" sowing in May.

Bonnie

I couldn't find any vitamin C, so I soaked some peas in acetylsalicyclic acid as an experiment. If they survived, I'll know this weekend.

Not to bring back the pea-ness envy, I just counted, I have 60+ viable pea plants out there now!

I need to do some thinning this weekend methinks.

Isn't that aspirin?

Wonder how the pea seed felt after that . . .

digitS'
still waiting for the Oregon grape to bloom . . . his cue to plant the peas

I've been down with the flu for a week, finally feeling human again. Went out and checked them a few minutes ago, and they're averageing about 6 inches tall. I've read that Sugar Anns dont require trellising...Anyone agree/disagree?

Re trellising, I like to do it with all the peas I grow because it makes it easier to find the ripe ones. Even a couple of stakes and some string works pretty good.

Maybe I'll try vinegar next (acetic acid).

And I agree with David on putting them on trellises. I trellis all of mine just because I have so little space, but besides saving room, it also makes them MUCH easier to pick and keeps them clean. I definitely recommend using trellises.

Skybird

The last bed of the 4 on the right was Sugar Daddy. I'm still kind of hoping that I don't need to spend so much time with the trellises and just allowed them to sprawl. (You know, peas aren't a very productive crop anyway! Why am I doing so much work for 'em?) I've saved the seed and replanted Sugar Daddy again this past week. I won't put up a trellis.

I've grown Sugar Ann and they seemed especially short. Unfortunately for my trellis avoidance scheme, none of the other snap peas have quite measured up to Super Sugar Snap. And, they are nearly as tall as the Sugar Snap original.

If I had a garden fairies who would do all this work, I would always put up a trellis for the peas. And, if I can't get one of those dwarf varieties to work better for me - I guess the trellises will go up, fairies or no fairies.

digitS'

Will they latch onto the trellis on their own, or will I need to tie them to it?

Bonnie

You have an AMAZING garden! I am so envious, as I only have a (relatively) small pieces of space in our backyard. I guess that's all I can do living in the suburbs. Thank you for sharing your pictures!

Melanie

My kids are going to try to grow and sell stuff at the local farmers markets this year as a 'summer job', a new venture for all of us.

:-)
Skybird

It isn't even all that tuff to pick 'em. Peas have to be the lowest production veggie out there. Don't let your kids grow cherry tomatoes, David. Certainly, the tiniest varieties shouldn't even be considered. We grew Jelly Beans one year - pick, pick, pick - uh, what's that? Half a cup?

I'm not sure if I could carry a cattle panel out into the garden. A lot of my decision-making is based on infirmities.

Probably, I should go with double rows and 2" chicken wire . . . Part of my technique, however, is to brace against wind storms. In that larger, more exposed veggie garden, I've even thought about "stapling" the melon vines to the ground!!

pea pickin' digitS'

Flowers all over the pea plants!!!!

Can't see it in the pic, but I did rig up some trellis.

Anyway, congratulations on your pea blossoms!

Bonnie

I do this every year, Bonnie. Plan on about 3 weeks and handle the transplanting process as gently as possible. They should be fine.

digitS'

As I posted somewhere above, I will be eating peas in May!

Yay!