How to grow peas for high yields? A detailed explanation of the latest key growing points
Peas are a vegetable we are very familiar with. Not only can we eat their fresh beans, but the tender pods have also become a delicacy on the table. Many farmers report that pea growing is difficult to manage and yields are low, but in fact, once you master the correct growing methods, getting high pea yields is actually quite simple. Let's take a look below.
1. Seed treatment
Before sowing, select the seeds carefully. You can pour the seeds into a 40% salt solution and remove the unfilled and pest-damaged seeds floating on top. Then sun-dry the seeds for 2-3 days to improve seed vigor so they emerge earlier after sowing. In plots where peas have never been grown, inoculating with rhizobia at sowing time can increase pea yields.
2. Field fertilization
To increase yields, you must first ensure the soil has sufficient nutrients. Generally, apply 2000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure, 20-30 kg of superphosphate, and 7-10 kg of potassium sulfate or 50-100 gong of plant ash per mu. This provides sufficient nutrients for peas throughout the whole growth period. For plots with poor soil fertility or short-growing-period early-maturing varieties, you can add 5-10 kg of urea to the base fertilizer to promote strong seedlings and rapid nodule formation.
3. Sowing
For open-field peas, use hole sowing or drill sowing. In low-lying wet areas, ridge cultivation can be used. In dry conditions, you can open furrows and water. Generally, sow two rows per bed, with a hole spacing of 21-24 cm and 3-4 seeds per hole. Before winter, the seedlings should already have 3-5 true leaves so that their cold resistance is enough to overwinter safely; otherwise they are very likely to die during overwintering.
4. Field management
If the nitrogen in the base fertilizer is insufficient, when the seedlings grow to 7-9 cm, you can apply 5 kg of urea per mu as a top dressing to promote seedling growth. After the seedlings turn green again the following year, cultivate and top-dress, and at the same time thin out poorly growing seedlings. During the vigorous growth period, apply fertilizer once together with watering. During the pod-setting stage, demand is high, so in addition to soil fertilization, foliar fertilizer is also needed. Before winter, cultivate and earth up to protect the roots and prevent cold damage. In severe cold regions, during winter overwintering you can cover with a layer of straw or film to protect the seedlings through the winter safely.
The above is an introduction to the key points for high-yield pea growing. We hope it helps you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.