How to Grow Peas? Detailed Explanation of Planting Methods and Techniques

Peas are a nutritious legume food, containing relatively high amounts of copper and chromium. Peas have beneficial effects on blood production as well as bone and brain development, and chromium can promote the metabolism of sugar and fat. So how are peas grown? Below, the editor will briefly introduce how to grow peas.

1. Choosing and Preparing the Land

The pea field should be chosen on flat terrain that is easy to drain. The soil should be rich in nutrients; sandy loam or clay soil will both work, with a pH that is slightly acidic or neutral. Before sowing, the land should be plowed once to ensure the soil's permeability and drainage. Also, the land should not have grown legume crops within one year, otherwise it is prone to causing disease. The land should be given sufficient base fertilizer, with the amount of base fertilizer depending on the situation.

2. Seed Selection and Sowing

For pea seeds, choose disease-free seeds, or disinfect the seeds before sowing and sow them after air-drying; this is to reduce the chance of disease occurrence. Friends in the Yangtze River basin mostly sow in autumn, and can also sow after the Beginning of Spring, mainly to avoid the high temperatures and rainy season of the southern summer and prevent situations that are difficult to control. In South China, sowing is done around the Beginning of Autumn, and with careful care, harvesting can be done in winter or spring.

3. Field Management

From sowing to harvesting, weeds must be removed at least 2-3 times to promote root growth and absorption capacity and reduce competitive pressure on the roots. If there is high temperature and little rain before emergence, irrigation should be done in time to promote the speed of seed germination and emergence. After emergence, soil moisture should not be too high. Prevent water accumulation from rotting the roots. However, if there is overcast and rainy weather with continuous rain, the water should also be drained in time, and soil moisture should be kept moderate to prevent excessive wetness or dryness, which can cause flowers and fruits to drop.

4. Disease Control

The main diseases of peas are powdery mildew and downy mildew. Before sowing, the seeds can be soaked in a chemical agent for disinfection. After sowing, carbendazim and metalaxyl can be sprayed for control. If diseased plants appear, they should be pulled up immediately and burned together with other diseased residues to reduce sources of infection and pathogens. Pay attention to garden sanitation and temperature and humidity, and pull up weeds in time. Improper control of temperature and humidity is also one of the important reasons affecting the breeding of pathogens.

5. Timely Harvesting

Because peas are grown in different seasons and by different planting methods, the number of days to harvest also varies greatly. For example, when planted in summer, due to high temperatures, pea pods grow faster, and it takes only about half a month from sowing to maturity. But when planted in winter, temperatures are low, and it may take about a month from flowering to harvest. So we should harvest according to your actual use for the peas. For example, if you want to harvest peas for eating, when the pea pods have already bulged and feel relatively large when pinched by hand, then they can be harvested.

Growing peas is actually relatively simple; it is one of the very common crops in the countryside, and the longest time from sowing to maturity is only about 1.5 months. During the growing process, what needs attention is the area of pests and diseases. Pests and diseases are the most troublesome problem for all crops, and if disease is found, it needs to be dealt with immediately. Otherwise, it may affect the yield.