Pea Shoot Cultivation Techniques and Key Management Points

Pea shoots, also known as pea tips, are the tender shoot tips of the edible pea, rich in nutrients, tender in texture, and sweetly fragrant. Pea shoot leaves are emerald green with thick leaf flesh and few fibers, and the shoot tips and leaves are tender. They are a treasure among winter and spring vegetables and a high-nutrition, pollution-free health vegetable among leafy greens, with great development prospects. Here is an introduction to growing pea shoots:

Pea shoots can be cultivated in spring, autumn and winter. Sowing is done in March—April in spring, with harvest in May—June. Common varieties include Shanghai pea shoots, Shangnong wuxu pea shoots, and Sichuan wuxu doujian No. 1. Among them, the fastest to harvest is Sichuan wuxu pea, which is semi-vining and can be harvested 20 days after sowing, with 9—10 successive harvests and a yield of 1000 kg per mu each time. The yield of pea shoots mainly depends on the base number of shoots. Use 13—15 kg of seed per mu, and 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, and sow directly at a row spacing of 10—15 cm, covering with 1—2 cm of soil after sowing. In early spring, seedlings emerge completely in 7 days; after emergence, cover with soil 1—2 times, 2—3 cm each time. During the seedling stage, top-dress and water in time, keeping the soil alternately dry and moist, and weed before the rows close. When there are about 2 true leaves, top-dress promptly with quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer, applying once after each harvest, 4 kg of urea diluted in water to 0.3%, for a total of 4—5 applications, along with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate. During this period, mainly control yellow top disease, powdery mildew, aphids and leafminers that damage the leaves.

At 20—30 days after sowing, when the shoots are 8—9 cm long, harvest all at once; after digging out the roots, bundling, cutting off the roots at the base of the stems, and washing clean, they are ready for market. For multiple harvests, pick the tender shoot 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 each time, and a net income per mu of up to ten thousand yuan.