When Are Peas on the Market? A Full Breakdown of Maturity and Harvest Times

Peas are a very nutritious vegetable. Peas differ from ordinary vegetables in that the substances they contain, such as gibberellic acid, gibberellin and phytoagglutinin, have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and boost metabolism. So, when are peas on the market?

1. When are peas on the market?

Spring-sown peas begin to reach the market in early April, and autumn-sown peas begin to reach the market in early October. Its seeds, tender pods and tender shoots are all edible; the tender pods are pale green, with 6 to 7 seeds per pod.

2. What are the cultivation techniques for peas?

1. Cropping system

Peas should not be grown continuously on the same land. After continuous cropping, it can have a toxic effect on the following pea crop and worsens the occurrence of pests and diseases, so peas usually need to be rotated with other crops. White-flowered varieties are even less tolerant of continuous cropping than purple-flowered varieties, and their rotation period needs to be longer. Peas can also be grown in mixed and intercropped systems with other crops.

2. Land selection

Drip irrigation cultivation has lower demands on the soil, which helps seedlings survive and crops grow, so land with deep soil, mild soil salinity and alkalinity, and medium fertility can all be planted.

3. Loosening the soil and fertilizing

After sowing, the soil should be shallowly loosened several times to raise the soil temperature, promote root growth and make the seedlings strong. For autumn-sown cultivation, earth up once before overwintering to keep warm and prevent freezing; after spring begins, loosen the soil and weed promptly to raise the soil temperature. Before peas flower, water lightly and apply a quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer to speed up plant growth and promote branching, then loosen the soil to conserve moisture. When pods begin to set at the stem, increase the amount of watering slightly and apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. During the peak pod-setting period, the soil should be kept constantly moist to ensure the water needed for pod development. In the late pod-setting stage, when the pea vines close over the rows, reduce watering. When vining plants reach 30 cm in height, begin staking. Peas are harvested in batches, with one fertilizer application after each harvest.

4. Filling gaps and topdressing

After emergence, check the seedlings and fill gaps promptly, and carry out 1-2 rounds of intertillage and weeding. Apply heavy topdressing at the seedling stage, especially in fields where little or no base fertilizer was applied; generally, apply 5-7.5 kg of compound fertilizer or 5 kg of urea or 1000 kg of decomposed human manure per mu. For tall-stalk varieties, after spring temperatures rise and the plants begin to elongate, insert small bamboo poles with tips or branched tree branches (with leaves removed) between the rows so the pea plants can climb and grow. Peas are not tolerant of waterlogging, so in spring pay attention to clearing ditches and draining water. Flowering and pod setting require a lot of nutrients, so apply 7.5 kg of urea and 5 kg of three-element compound fertilizer per mu. During the seed-filling stage, spray 1% urea and 0.3% monopotassium phosphate twice.

5. Harvesting at the right time

The harvest time is determined by how it will be eaten. Generally, peas grown for grain are harvested 15-18 days after flowering when the seeds are plump; dry peas are harvested when 70%-80% of the pods have turned yellow and withered; vegetable peas are harvested 12-14 days after flowering when the tender pods show seeds but not distinct grains; pea shoots are harvested about 30 days after sowing when the shoots are 18 cm tall by picking the tender tips; those grown for fodder are harvested at full bloom; those grown as green manure are plowed under promptly after the pods are harvested.

Peas are a semi-cold-hardy crop that likes a mild and moist climate and is not tolerant of dry heat. They are suitable for cultivation in North China, Northeast China, East China and Southwest China.