Green Peas a Popular Home Garden Crop

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 2, 15 August 1949, Page 129

Green Peas a Popular Home Garden Crop

FEW vegetables are more popular or as rich in vitamins as green peas. They are a very good source of vitamins A, B n 8 2 , and C, and though they are not heavy yielding in comparison with such crops as carrots or cabbage, they deserve to be grown by all home gardeners who nave sufficient space. This article by A. G. Kennelly, Vegetable Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Christchurch, describes the culture of peas and the different types and varieties most suitable for growing in home gardens.

AS most varieties of peas have a relatively short season of harvesting, it is important to arrange sowings so that as far as possible continuity of supply is assured. This may be done by making regular fortnightly or 3weekly sowings during spring and summer of varieties having maturity periods nearly similar or preferably by sowing according to their maturity periods different varieties selected for their yield and for their adaptation to the climatic conditions to which they are likely to be subject during the period they are grown.

Soil Preparation

Peas do not thrive in hot dry weather; they grow best in cool but not excessively-cold conditions and in deeply-cultivated, moist, well-drained soils containing plenty of humus. Soil preparation should be thorough; most soils should be deeply dug to improve aeration and drainage. In the home garden peas usually do best following a crop that was well manured with organic and inorganic manure. Organic manure should be applied some time before sowing. Too-heavy manuring, particularly with nitrogenous manures, tends to promote excessive soft vegetative or straw growth and makes the crop liable to damage from weather and disease. Most home garden soils, however, benefit from a moderate dressing of organic manure such as compost or well-rotted farmyard or stable manure. A dressing of manure is especially desirable for the tall-growing, mid- and late-season varieties. It should preferably be incorporated in the second spit some weeks before sowing, as peas frequently fail because the roots of the very young plants enter a mass of manure that is very rich or is not properly rotted.

Crop failures are also often caused by poor drainage or inadequate liming, though liming should not be too heavy, as a neutral to slightly-acid soil suits most pea crops. An annual dressing of 3 to 4oz. of lime per square yard will usually be found suitable, but heavier dressings may be advisable in high-rainfall districts. On soils of fairly high fertility, for example, virgin soils or those that have been heavily dressed with organic manure for a previous crop, fertiliser applica-

tions need not be heavy. : A dressing of about 1 or 2oz. of superphosphate per square yard will usually prove sufficient. On most garden soils a complete fertiliser such as a mixture contaming about 6oz. of sulphate of ammonia, 240 z. of superphosphate, and 3oz. of muriate of potash applied at the rate of about loz. per square yard will usually give very good results. Because peas are highly sensitive to fertiliser injury, care should be taken when applying the mixture to ensure that it is distributed and therefore does not come in contact with the seed. Effect of Frost

Peas are hardy, but heavy frost is liable to affect the setting of the flowers, and frost following a mild period during which soft growth has developed may damage the haulms. In districts where winter conditions are severe autumn sowing should be sufficiently early to enable the young plants to become established, but not so early that they:, make soft growth. Autumn sowing is not recommended as a general practice, as losses may be serious in severe weather, but in welldrained soils in districts where winter conditions are not too severe it is usually satisfactory. In most districts, however, autumn-sown crops are usually little ahead of crops sown in favourable conditions in spring. For autumn and spring sowings seed should be dressed with a suitable seed protectant such as copper carbonate or red or yellow copper oxide in finelypowdered form. The peas should be shaken. vigorously for several minutes in a tin containing a pinch or just enough of the chemical to coat the seed. Afterward the excess should be removed by tapping the tin sharply so that unnecessary powder falls to the bottom. Treated seed should not be sown in dry soil. Good proprietary

dressings are available from seedsmen and should be used according to the instructions on the container. p eas are legumes and gather and s t O re nitrogen in the nodules on their roots. They thus have the power to enrich the soil. They do this through the agency of two species of bacteria which have the capacity to make use o f the free nitrogen of the atmosphere an d to transform it into chemicallycombined nitrogen. This nitrogen becomes available to the succeeding crop n the breaking down of the nodules, p e as should therefore be used wherever possible in the rotation except after other legumes.

Seed should be sown 1 or 2in. apart . in V-shaped or broad, flat drills which can be drawn out with the hoe 18 to 36in. apart according to variety. Drills should be 2 or 3in. deep, except where conditions are hot and dry, when they should be considerably deeper so that, though the seed should not be covered with more than 1| or 2in. of soil, the roots will be well down in the cooler and moister soil of the lower levels. This is very important where conditions are dry or where heavy wind is likely, as the plants can be gradually earthed up the stems as they develop. Dwarf varieties should require no other support. Very tall varieties of peas are best grown against a fence or trellis or on wire netting. Shorter-growing varieties can be supported by twiggy or woody pieces of manuka with many branches or the prunings of other shrubby subjects. Alternatively, thin laths or sticks can be pressed into the ground on an angle on either side of the row as shown in the diagram on page 131. The parallel line of sticks on either side of the row should point in opposite directions so that when glanced at from the side they appear to be criss-crossed. Another good

method is to put in stakes along the sides of the row at intervals of a few feet and support the peas with strings tied to them. A number of strings and very tall stakes may be necessary for tall varieties.

Protection Against Birds Protection of newly-emerged peas against birds is essential in some districts, though birds are mainly troublesome in early spring, when food is in short supply ana is lacking in variety. Pea guards made of wire netting are most effective, provided the ends are blocked, but they should be removed before the peas become entangled in the wire. There are numerous other methods of protection, but their effectiveness depends on thoroughness of application and other factors. Spraying with bitter substances such as an infusion of alum or quassia in water (with soap as a spreader) or dusting the rows with sawdust, lime, sulphur, or superphosphate gives varying degrees of protection. Cotton stretched over the shoots is also effective if a number of strands, which may be crisscrossed or stretched in parallel lines, are used as shown above. After harvesting it is important to use peas as soon as -possible, as they lose sugar and flavour and increase in starch very rapidly unless held at very low temperatures. For best results they should be served within 30 minutes of being picked. Peas are extremely variable ir? their characteristics. Vines may be dwarf, half dwarf, or tall, and the foliage which may be light, medium, or dark green, may be slender or it may be robust and vigorous. Pea pods may be

straight or curved and may have pointed or blunt ends and according to variety may be from 1| to about 7|in. long. Seed varies greatly in size and weight and when dry may be either smooth and rounded or dimpled or wrinkled and be creamy, green, or greyish-green. Varieties of peas are usually classed as mid-season, and. late, though additional groupings such as second early, early main crop, and late mam crop are not uncommo .

In general the varieties with rounded seed are hardier and germinate better, but the wrinkled peas are sweeter and have a finer flavour.

Peas are mainly self-pollinating and normally there is little crossing in most lines. The flowers are produced in the axils of the leaves and usually commence at a certain node or height in each variety. Flowers may be solitary or borne in pairs, but rarely appear in threes. Identification of Varieties This habit of bearing flowers regularly at a certain node has provided a useful key for the identification of varieties. The node at which a variety blooms indicates its earliness and is also an almost invariable guide to certain other characteristics such as hardiness and variability of . the type. For instance, peas that begin to bloom at the eighth to the fourteenth node are in general less variable than those that commence to bloom above this. Such peas usually produce two pods at each node and thus tend to a dwarf type of vine that is comparatively regular

in its characteristics and hardier and more adaptable than the taller types. Because their pods are fairly concentrated, the entire crop borne by the dwarf type of plant matures in a limited time and for this reason, together with the fact that staking is unnecessary, this type of pea is favoured for canning and by market gardeners. Dark-green varieties of the type are especially suitable for freezing.

Some peas of the type which produce their first bloom above the fourteenth node produce large, fine-quality pods with peas very rich in sugar, but in general tall varieties are not superior to the dwarf. The pods of the tall kinds are usually borne singly and the vines are more variable in type than the dwarf kind; they are also more subject to damage from climatic conditions and they mature their pods over a longer period.

Most varieties of peas grown in New Zealand home gardens are of the wrinkled-seeded kinds. They are used as shelling peas; that is, they are shelled and used at once or bottled or canned so that as far as possible their fresh greenness is retained. Round or dimpled peas are not often grown in New Zealand home gardens, but good dimpled-seeded varieties are well worth a trial for autumn or earlyspring sowings for shelling and using green or for early sowing for drying, storing, and using boiled. Dimpled peas are commonly sold as packet peas for boiling, and in New Zealand the name marrowfat is now applied by many people exclusively to this type of pea, though it is more applicable to the wrinkled kinds of pea often described by earlier writers as marrow peas. Wrinkled peas are of more recent origin than the other types and date from the time Thomas A. Knight began his work in England in 1787. They quickly became the most popular kind of pea grown and improved varieties are still being produced. Sugar or edible-podded peas are grown only to a limited extent by home gardeners, but are worthy of more general culture, as good varieties are somewhat like snap beans and should be prepared for the table similarly, though they are best used before

they are more than half grown. If left, they can be shelled and used like ordinary peas, though the yield then 1S less than that of ordinary peas. Some varieties have which rival those of sweet peas, mere are both tall ana dwarf varieties of sugar peas, _ , .. . ± . Types and Varieties t+ j s no easv o cass if the many * ll s j - easy TO „ cldbSl V me many ty P es ai^ d forms peas a simple ’ clear-cut manner because of the complexity of their characteristics (that is, tallness or dwarfness, type and colour of seed, type of. pod, vigour, and type of vine). Genetically, too, garden peas are rather unstable and in most crops a number of types not true to variety are found. Seed catalogues often list

varieties as first early, second early, early main crop, main crop, and late. This usually adds to rather than dispels the confusion engendered by long lists of names, many of which are mere synonyms. The classification used below is based mainly or an English system and includes a majority of the better-known varieties or varietal types grown in New Zealand. Varieties not grown in New Zealand have been included only where the writer considered that they could fill a useful purpose in this country.

SIMPLE METHODS OF STAKING PEAS

Early Dwarf (15 to 30in. high) There are two groups of wrinkledseeded peas in the early dwarf class, the gem group and the large-podded group. The gem group is probably the most popular of all groups with home gardeners. The variety known in New Zealand as W. F. Massey is especially popular. Peas of this dwarf early type mature in favourable conditions in from about 68 to 75 days according to variety. Peas in the gem group are very popular for sowing in early spring for early harvesting and for sowing in late summer or early autumn to yield a crop before winter in ground that has been cleared of a spring or early-summer crop. Several varieties are most suitable for canning. Examples of the gem group are Kelvedon Wonder (syn. W. F. Massey), English Wonder, Little Marvel, William Hurst, and Witham Wonder. Varieties in the large-podded group include the very fine varieties Peter Pan, Blue Bantam, and Laxtons Progress. This type of pea is also very popular among home gardeners, and some varieties are excellent for canning. Growth is sturdy and vigorous and the well-filled pods of good-quality peas are produced in about 70 to 80 days.

Apart from the wrinkled-seeded peas already mentioned, there are a number of fairly good varieties of round-seeded peas in this class that are early and very hardy. They are rarely grown in New Zealand, as they are not as sweet and in general their quality is inferior to that of the wrinkled-seeded types. Two of the best and quickest maturing are Meteor and Eight Weeks. They have not been noticed lately in New Zealand seedsmen’s catalogues, but in England both are very popular for late-autumn and early-spring sowing for use as table (shelling) peas. Their earliness and extreme hardiness would justify their cultivation in autumn and early spring in the colder districts of New Zealand. They are also excellent peas for storing dry and using boiled.

Early Tall (30 to 48in. high) The early tall type of pea is not often grown in home gardens in New Zealand. The first pods become filled in from about 65 to 80 days from sowing. The round-seeded varieties are a little earlier than the wrinkled-seeded. The wrinkled-seeded variety Gradus and a similar though slightly-better variety World Record are occasionally listed in New Zealand seedmen’s catalogues, but they have never been grown much in this country. Gradus was for many years one of the most popular varieties in England, but is now largely superseded by Provost.

Of the round-seeded varieties, Alaska and Blue Prussian are worthy of mention. Alaska is rarely grown, but is a useful pea for shelling or drying, and overseas it has been one of the most popular varieties, particularly for cannine. for many years. The vine is a slender and light green and bears a heavy crop of small, square-ended, well-filled pods. Blue Prussian is grown in New Zealand as a field pea. It is a very old variety and has many synonyms. It is commonly sold as a packet pea for boiling, but is rather small and is of variable hardness.

Mid-season Dwarf (12 to 36in. high) Most of the peas in the mid-season dwarf group mature pods in about 80 to 85. days from sowing. There are few round-seeded varieties in the group, but none is grown in New Zealand and there does not appear to be much justification for growing them when there is such a number of easily-grown, good-quality, wrinkled-seeded varieties available. . The most popular wrinkledseeded variety, Lincoln (syn. Homesteader and .Greenfeast), is well suited to both home and market garden production, as it is hardy, adaptable, and high yielding. The pods are borne mainly in pairs.

The mid-season dwarf peas as a class can be divided into several fairly distinct groups. For instance, Lincoln (Greenfeast) and Delicatesse (Petit Pois) form one. Both Lincoln and Delicatesse are very good for canning as well as home garden use. The peas of the Delicatesse strain, which originated in France, are small but very succulent and require less cooking than the larger kinds. Daisy, Giant Stride, Asgrow 40, Greatcrop, and Onward form another somewhat similar and very popular group, and Stratagem and Dwarf Defiance are representatives of another similar though slightly-later group. All are useful mid-season varieties.

Mid-season Tall (36 to 72in. high) Only wrinkled-seeded varieties comprise the mid-season tall group. Good varieties grow over 6ft. high where conditions suit them, but as they require support and shelter from boisterous weather and are less hardy, uniform, and adaptable to varying climatic conditions than the shorter-growing peas, they are not grown often. The variety Quite Content is one of the best, though Aiderman (syn. Dark Podded Telephone) is the most popular variety and is fairly typical of the group. The large pods are borne singly or in pairs beginning at the thirteenth or fourteenth node. They are produced

f>uccessionally over a fairly long period, which is usually considered an advantage in the home garden. Other varieties in the group are Duke of Albany and the VC, which is one of the largest-podded peas in cultivation. Late Tall (42 to 48in. high) Late tall varieties (for example, Autocrat and Ne Plus Ultra) are now rarely grown in home or commercial gardens in New Zealand. As they require up to 100 days to mature their first pods and they are not usually as high yielding as some of the earlier varieties, this is not surprising, especially in view of the importance in most home gardens of obtaining a maximum yield of good-quality produce from the available land. Ne Plus Ultra is one of the oldest varieties of peas.

Dried Peas Because green vegetables in New Zealand are usually available in variety and it is possible in most districts to harvest good-quality green peas for all but about 3 or 4 months of the year, few home gardeners grow peas to dry and store. Good strains, however' deserve to be more generally grown in home gardens, because when they are properly cooked they can be used to provide tasty and highlynutritious meals when green peas are not available. In general the qualities required in a dried pea are that it should be of good eating quality and have a skin that resists splitting. Good colour is also desirable. Good varieties usually classed as field peas that could be grown more in home gardens are the marrowfat (dimpledseeded) peas Harrison’s Glory, Unica, and Imperial Blue and the smooth blue pea Mammoth Blue, which was introduced by the Agronomy Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Another variety worthy of mention is White Prolific, a variety grown as a splitting pea for soups and also bred by the Agronomy Division.