Growing Snap Peas? Consider Harvesting Young Stems and Leaves As Greens

Have you grown snap peas or snow peas? But have you ever grown or eaten pea greens?

Consider planting extra peas to have enough plants for harvesting young, tender stems and leaves as greens. Pea greens are nutritious and delicious. They are a candidate for GardenZeus expert Darren Butler’s favorite green, and can be used anywhere you use other greens, including in salads, soups, sandwiches, or steamed. If growing peas primarily for pods, GardenZeus recommends limiting harvest of greens to 1 or 2 rounds from young pea plants during the first 2 to 5 weeks after germination.

Peas have delicate root systems and dislike like root disturbance, so generally it’s preferable to plant seeds directly in garden beds rather than transplanting. GardenZeus recommends never purchasing pea seedlings for transplanting.

A 7-to-10 foot single row of pole or vine peas at final spacing of 3-to-4 inches in reasonably fertile soil is usually sufficient to provide ample peas for one person. Half-again or twice this amount may be preferred by dedicated garden grazers or pea lovers, or if growing peas in poor or infertile soil.

When planting peas in new or uncultivated soil, or in soils where peas haven’t been grown for a few years, consider inoculating your seeds before planting. Legume inoculants are powders containing Rhizobium bacteria that help legumes to fix nitrogen from the air into root nodules. Pay close attention when purchasing an inoculant to be sure that it is labeled for your intended legume variety(s).

For customized instructions for growing peas in your area, go to GardenZeus and enter your zip code.