My sister and I love peas out of the garden. The past couple of years, we never even got them to the dinner table because we eat them faster than we can save them. More than one harvesting trip from the garden has seen the peas disappear before the basket gets into the house. I actually planted peas just so we could eat them straight off the vine--and we do.
This year, I have been lazy about getting them in the garden. About two weeks ago, I planted a bunch in big pots and stuck tree branches in the middle of the pots just because the garden area wasn't ready to plant, and darn it, I want peas! Michigan winters have thwarted my pea planting once again. This has been an unusually cold spring, so the motivation to get them in the ground has been zero. Luckily for me, I am not too late, and we prepped the bed yesterday so I can get them planted soon.
These little globes of deliciousness are actually easy to grow. They like cooler weather, and can handle light frost if you get the right variety, so I like to have them in the garden by like, January. Unfortunately, I am not about to dig under four feet of snow to get to the dirt, so I usually have to wait until April. Sigh.
Peas grow pretty fast in cooler temperatures, and they like good composted soil, so when we plant in our amended-but-still-not-good-enough garden, we add lots of compost. I plan on planting every two weeks until the packets are empty so we have a steady supply. About a month after planting, I'll add some organic fertilizer to give them a nice jolt while they flower to produce my Garden Candy. I expanded the area this year, so one entire side of the garden will be peas up until about July, then I'll plant something else there. Maybe radishes or more pumpkins if I start them in June in the greenhouse.
If you visit my house while the peas are growing, please note that we may ban you from the garden until Lisa Lynn has gotten her fill.
Happy Spring (Finally!)!
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