Peas have been a part of our diet since at least the egyptian times. Around the sixteenth century more tender varieties of peas were developed and eaten fresh. Today only about 5% of all peas grown are sold fresh. The rest of the peas sold are canned and frozen. Peas are members of the legume family. This family includes plants that bear pods enclosing fleshy seeds. Peas are a good low calorie source of protein. A 100-calorie serving of peas (about ¾ cup) contains more protein than a whole egg or a tablespoon of peanut butter and has less than one gram of fat and no cholesterol.
Fresh peas from the garden eaten in spring have turned many people into gardeners. Peas have a sweet flavor, sublime flowers, and vines that are a joy to see after the long, cool months. Peas are easy to grow and suitable in many areas.
Peas are separated into two groups, those with edible pods and those whose pods must be removed or "shucked". Peas with edible pods include snow peas and snap peas. English peas, more commonly known as garden peas, must be shelled before they can be eaten. Cultivars refered to as cow peas or field peas are actually beans.
Peas commonly grow on vines though you can find dwarf (bush) cultivars that do not need trellising.
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Articles & Papers
The Farm & Garden library contains the following articles and papers on the subject of peas:
- Growing Peas by Farm & Garden
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Forum Discussions
The Farm & Garden Forums are a great resource for getting answers to your questions about how to start, grow, water, harvest, and prepare peas. Here are a few select discussions:
- Pea probems by leebob
- Need suggestions for salad greens to grow by Buffalogal
- Growing container vegetables by MaxiGreen
- all discussions involving peas
Peas Seeds
Here are a few sources of peas seeds to get you started.
Tools, Equipment, and Supplies
Sometimes the right tool or the right gadget can make your task much easier and your time in the garden more productive. Here's a list of tools and equipment suppliers that may have what you're looking for.
- Gardener's Supply Company
- Thompson & Morgan
- GEMPLER'S Online Store
- Gardening tools from Amazon
- Irrigation supplies from Amazon
- Seeders from Amazon
- Garden Carts from Amazon
- Row covers from Amazon
- Greenhouses from Amazon
Books
Here are some books we found that might help you with your peas.
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