A Detailed Guide to Snow Pea Planting Methods and Key Techniques

Snow peas are not native to the Netherlands; they got their name because the Dutch brought them to China, which is why they are called snow peas. Snow pea tender pods are emerald green and fragrant, nutritious and delicious. So, how should snow peas be planted?

1. Site selection and land preparation

Snow peas have strong growth capacity and no great demands on soil, able to grow normally in all kinds of soil, but pay attention to the soil pH. Snow peas cannot grow in acidic soil; if the soil is strongly acidic, lime needs to be sprinkled into the soil to neutralize the acidity and alkalinity, and snow peas must be grown in a crop rotation of at least 4 years, otherwise pests and diseases will be severe. After choosing the site, prepare the land in time, deep-plow to loosen the soil, improve soil permeability, then apply an appropriate amount of base fertilizer, mainly farmyard manure, with an appropriate amount of superphosphate and potassium chloride added, and make flat beds to facilitate sowing and later management and harvesting.

2. Seed selection and soaking

Before sowing, do a good job of seed selection: put the seeds into salt water and remove the shriveled seeds and pest-damaged seeds that float up. Do a good job of sprouting: soak the seeds in water for 5 hours, place them in a suitable environment to sprout, and after the seeds show white sprouts, place them in a low-temperature environment of 1 degree for about half a month. Mix the seeds with rhizobium to increase the number of root nodules on the plants, raise the growth rate of stems and leaves and the rate of flowering and fruiting, and achieve the goal of increasing yield. After completing this series of measures, sow at the right time, reasonably control water and fertilizer, and promote seed germination and seedling emergence.

3. Field management

After sowing, shallow-plow and loosen the soil in time to raise soil temperature, promote seed rooting and germination, and ensure healthy seedling growth. If sowing in autumn, carry out hilling measures before winter to do a good job of heat preservation for overwintering. Before snow peas flower, apply a topdressing of nitrogen fertilizer once to promote plant growth, and do this together with loosening the soil and preserving moisture. When podding begins, increase the frequency of watering and the proportion of potassium and phosphorus in the fertilizer, ensure the soil stays in a moist state, and provide sufficient water for pod development. When the plants grow to about 35 cm, set up trellises and guide the vines to ensure healthy plant growth.

4. Timely harvesting

The growing season of snow peas differs considerably from that of other legume vegetables, so the harvest time also differs to a certain extent. When planted in June, because the temperature is relatively high, the growth capacity of snow peas is strengthened, and their growing period needs only about two weeks. In winter, by contrast, the low-temperature environment is not suitable for the growth of snow peas, so the growing period needs about one month. Therefore, our harvest time must be determined according to the planting time; there is no specific harvest time, and everyone needs to judge it as appropriate.

The above is the snow pea planting method compiled by the editor. I hope it can help you!