Peas are not just a side dish. They're a way of life. --- Unknown
One of the benefits of living in the mountains of Western North Carolina is being able to plant pea seeds in late February. Before moving here, I never could have imagined that. The combination of a mild, short winter and peas being a cool weather crop is ideal for early planting. During the winter, I look out my kitchen window at the bare trellis. It looks to me like the trellis is waiting for the peas!
Different Types of Peas
In anticipation, I look at garden catalogs to decide which types of pea seeds to order. There are three different types of peas: shelling peas, snow peas, and snap peas. All of them need full to partial sun and cool temperatures to grow well. Snow peas have fairly flat pods. Shelling peas have inedible pods with plump delicious peas inside the pod. Sugar Snap peas have sweet, delicious pods that mature early.
One feature of peas is that they produce delicate white, and occasionally lavender, flowers. In early spring, when I am yearning for new growth, I am always delighted to see the handsome round leaves of the pea plants with their dainty flowers. It is such a vibrant sight!
It is easy to plant the large, round pea seeds. Planting in late February means that germinating shoots will emerge from the soil in March. By April their tendrils start to hook onto the trellis and climb. In mid-May the plants produce flowers, which turn into pods by late May. At this stage the pea stalks are taller than the six foot high trellis. At first I can't see the pods when I look for them, but there they are, hiding in plain sight, blending perfectly with the green foliage.
Peas Are a Sign of Spring
Picking the young pods, which are tender and crunchy, is truly a sign of spring. I can eat the entire pod, or I can let the pods mature to form big peas. Either is delicious.
One way to extend the pea harvest in the spring is to plant peas that can handle the warm weather. I discovered that Sugar Daddy peas last longer than Sugar Snap peas. The Sugar Daddy plant is not as tall as Sugar Snap, but it fits in well on my trellis. Cascadia Snap peas also have shorter vines with a great tasting pod. The young pods are crunchy and incredibly fresh. I pick them right outside my kitchen and then bring them inside for dinner or eat them for a snack.
The season for peas, like so many other plants, is fleeting. By mid-June, once the weather warms up, the vines turn brown and wilt, so I try to be aware of their growth and pick the pods when they are at their peak. The reward for my February labor is a delicious treat later in the spring that comes straight from the garden!
What are your garden plans for this spring? Leave a comment to let me know!
Judith Canty Graves is an Asheville gardener with a background in photojournalism. This article appears in The Laurel of Asheville. Follow @TheObservantGardener on Instagram to see new garden photos daily.