I love growing peas and a few years ago I managed to grow them successionally for a few months during the spring and summer.

This year I want to try and grow peas one variety after the other from sowings in early February to October which means I need a very early variety to start off the season in February.

What’s so special about Peas?

• They are part of the Legume family which are plants which produce pods with seeds inside.
• Peas are a great source of protein and low in salt and fat.
• They have vitamins C and E which is great the for immune system.
• They have delicate flowers which Bees and insects love.

The History of the Pea

Peas were once wild and only domesticated i.e brought into peoples gardens to grow and grow commercially 11,000 years ago.

Peas were developed to be grown commercially by removing the characteristics that wild peas have to explode when their seed pods are ready for distribution. This would not have been practical in harvesting processes for commercial or domestic setting to have exploding pea pods.

First Early Peas

First Early Peas are hardy types of Pea, they can withstand cold temperatures and frost and can be sown in autumn and early in the year.

Pea Varieties

Very Early Variety – Pea Oskar

A few seed companies including RealSeeds.Co.uk have this variety for offer called Oskar which is from the Czech Republic.

It grows to 3 foot high or 1 meter and can be sown in modules in a cold greenhouse in Late February for Harvest in May or June.

Pea – Oskar is currently available at the following seed companies:

• RealSeeds.Co.Uk
• Johnson Seeds or Johnson seeds are also available at The Range and QD stores.
• Plants of Distinction.Co.Uk

Sow, Grow, Harvest – Early Pea Trials

I’m trialling Pea – Oskar this year by sowing in Mid February in an unheated greenhouse in the UK. With an early pea variety, you would look to harvest from June.

Pea’s don’t mind the cold at this time of the year. They can germinate in temperatures from 4 degrees centigrade, this is why I have decided to trial a very early pea variety to see whether it does germinate as early as Late February. Also whether it can withstand the cold temperatures, and wet and windy weather of March when planted out in a raised bed.

Other Early Pea Varieties.

• Meteor
• Avola
• Douce Provence