How to Grow Pea Shoots? The Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial
Pea shoots, also known as pea tips, are the tender growing tips of the edible pea plant, rich in nutrients, tender in texture, and sweet with a fresh fragrance. Pea shoots have emerald-green leaves, thick leaf flesh, little fiber, and tender tips and leaves; they are a treasure among winter and spring vegetables and a highly nutritious, pollution-free health vegetable among leafy greens, with great prospects for development. Here is an introduction to growing pea shoots:
Pea shoots can be cultivated in spring, autumn, and winter. Sow in March—April and harvest in May—June. Common varieties include Shanghai pea shoots, Shangnong Leafless Pea Shoots, and Sichuan Leafless Pea Tip No. 1, among which the fastest to harvest is the Sichuan leafless pea, semi-vining, ready for harvest 20 days after sowing, with 9—10 successive harvests and a yield of 1000 kg per mu each time. The yield of pea shoots depends mainly on the base number of seedlings. Use 13—15 kg of seed per mu; before sowing, apply 1500 kg of farmyard manure, 100 kg of plant ash, and 25 kg of superphosphate. After careful tillage, prepare flat beds 1.3 m wide, sow directly at a row spacing of 10—15 cm, and cover with 1—2 cm of soil after sowing. In early spring, seedlings emerge fully in 7 days; after emergence, cover with soil 1—2 times to a depth of 2—3 cm. During the seedling stage, timely topdressing and watering are needed, keeping the soil alternately dry and moist, and weed before the rows close. When there are about 2 true leaves, promptly apply a quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer topdressing, applying once after each harvest: 4 kg of urea diluted in water to 0.3%, for a total of 4—5 applications, along with a 0.2% monopotassium phosphate topdressing. During this period, mainly control yellow top disease, powdery mildew, aphids, and leafminers that harm the leaves.
20—30 days after sowing, when the shoots are 8—9 cm long, harvest all at once; after digging up the roots, tying into bundles, cutting off the roots at the base of the stems, and washing clean, they are ready for market. For repeated harvesting, pick the tender tips when the shoots are 15—20 cm tall with 7—8 true leaves. When the stipules have not yet opened, harvest the tender tips of the upper compound leaves, together with 1—2 unopened tender leaves, harvesting once every 7—10 days, with 1000—1500 kg per harvest, and a net income per mu reaching ten thousand yuan.