CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 03/10/15

Plant cold-tolerant peas now

By Frank M. Watson

Gardeners who can’t wait to put seeds in the soil will be glad to know that garden peas, or green peas, will grow in cool, moist weather.

Garden peas (Pisum sativum) are one of the earliest garden vegetables to reach maturity. While the plant will endure some cold weather, temperatures below 32 degrees can kill young blooms.

It is best to delay plantings until there is little danger of frost during the bloom stage. For most parts of Georgia, this means planting from January until March.

English peas can be smooth-seeded or wrinkle-seeded. Smooth seed varieties can stand more cold weather and should be used for first plantings. The smooth-seeded variety most often used in Georgia is the Early Alaska pea variety.

Wrinkle-seeded varieties produce better quality peas, but are not as cold tolerant. These varieties include Thomas Laxton, Wando, Alderman (Telephone) and Laxton's Progress peas.

To grow high quality peas, pay close attention to harvest time and pick only those pods that are fully green and well developed. And, as with most vegetables, pick the peas before they over-mature.

Seeds should be spaced 1 inch apart and 1 inch deep in rows. Yields can be increased by frequent harvests and by not damaging the vines during harvest.

English peas are legumes and require very little, if any, nitrogen fertilizer. Some gardeners use a sparing amount of nitrogen to get the crop started, but once the plants are up, the nodules should be able to produce enough nitrogen to satisfy the crop's needs.

Avoid heavy applications of fertilizer. Combined with a warm spell, this can cause plants to grow too fast. The resulting tender plants can be damaged or killed by a sudden cold snap.

For more information on growing garden peas and other vegetables, contact your local University of Georgia Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1 or view UGA Extension publications online at extension.uga.edu/publications/.

Frank Watson is the University of Georgia Extension agent in Wilkes County, Ga.

Authors:
Frank M. Watson
Experts/Sources:
Frank M. Watson
It is best to delay plantings garden peas until there is little danger of frost during the bloom stage. For most parts of Georgia, this means planting peas from January until March.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
4-H'ers listen to planting instructions from a Master Gardener at the new GROWL Fulton County Demonstration and Teaching Garden located at the Camp Fulton-Truitt office in College Park, Georgia. CAES News
Prepare for your spring vegetable garden now 02/22/22 Bob Westerfield
You may still be scraping frost off your windshield in the early morning this time of the year, but it is not too early to begin planning your spring vegetable garden. Completing a few essential steps will ensure that you will have success in your garden when warmer spring temperatures arrive.
In the spring, crape myrtles add color with flowers. In the fall, they add color with brightly colored leaves. CAES News
Avoid 'crape murder,' prep your crape myrtles for success 11/02/21 William G. Tyson
Southern gardeners love crape myrtles, but many don’t know how to care for them to realize the full, gorgeous blooms they expect in the summer.
By focusing on one fruit or vegetable per year, UGA Extension agents and teachers can make sure students absorb how to successfully grow that crop. Sign up to participate at bit.ly/livinlavidaokra. CAES News
Get ready to start Livin’ La Vida Okra for Farm to School Month 10/01/21 Leslie Matos
October is Farm to School Month and this year’s theme is Livin’ La Vida Okra. Farm to School Month, coordinated by Georgia Organics in partnership with UGA Extension, highlights a different fruit or vegetable each year.
Late summer is the right time to prepare soil for September to October plantings of cool-season crops such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, Swiss chard and Brussels sprouts. CAES News
Cold crops: summer’s end calls for winter gardening prep 08/12/21 Bob Westerfield
The end of summer into early fall tends to be the hottest time of the year in the state of Georgia. Many of us are about tired of laboring in our summer gardens, and the heat, humidity, and disease and insect pressure have certainly taken their toll on our summer crops. However, for those of us who still have the gardening itch, the last weeks of summer are the ideal time to prepare your garden for winter vegetables.
Tomato lovers will attest that homegrown always tastes best, even if they don't always win beauty contests. CAES News
Too much love can ruin the chances of growing perfect summer tomatoes 06/09/21 Mary Carol Sheffield
During the summer growing season, the love many have for a homegrown tomato approaches obsession. In fact, some people love tomatoes so much that they struggle to grow them — because they give their plants too much care.
UGA Extension consumer horticulturist Bob Westerfield checks bean plants for signs of disease and insects on the UGA campus in Griffin. Westerfield grows vegetables at work to be prepared to answer home gardener questions. He grows them at home for his dinner table. CAES News
Unusually cool spring temperatures may impede Georgia vegetable gardens 05/28/21 Bob Westerfield
To call this past spring in Georgia normal would be a mischaracterization. Typical springs in Georgia seem to last about three days — and then we hit the hot weather. This spring, the cooler temperatures were most pleasant and hung on through the middle of May. Rainfall has also been feast or famine, and wind patterns have been higher than normal. Together, these conditions have made for a challenging time in the vegetable garden.