Peas are one of the first plants known by humans. It is also known as garden pea, and it is native to Western Asia and North Africa. If you eat 100 grams of a pea, you will get 81 calories. Furthermore, peas are a great source of manganese, vitamin K, fiber, vitamin B1, and many others. Judging from the number of vitamins and minerals your body gets from eating peas, it is evident that it will help you stay healthy. In this article, we will tackle the question: “How long does it take for peas to grow?”
How Long Does It Take for Peas to Grow?
For you to know how long does it take for peas to grow, you first have to know about planting and growing peas.
Planting Peas
Plant peas as soon as the ground thaws in the spring. Look for a sunny location. Peas tend to be sweeter when they are grown in the sun.
Also, make sure that the soil drains well to prevent seed rot. Then, you can start planting:
- Soak peas in water overnight for improved germination.
- Make sure to plant seeds an inch deep and two inches apart.
- Plant in rows makes sure that they are spaced 12-24 inches apart.
- Use a chopstick to poke in seeds that get washed out of the soil.
Once you have planted the peas, all you need to do now is to maintain it and help it grow.
Growing Peas
Before you know the answer to the question “how long does it take for peas to grow?” here is how you will grow them.
First, you need to prepare supports ahead of time for the peas to climb into like fences or trellis. Do not water the peas unless it is wilting. Now, if the weather is dry, make sure to water them periodically.
You have to make sure that the pea bed is well weeded. However, be sure to use your hands when weeding. Tools might harm the roots of the peas.
The best temperature for your peas to grow is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the temperature goes above the required temperature, the peas stop producing pods.
Harvesting Peas
Now that you know how to grow peas, you will now know how long does it take for peas to grow.
It takes 60 to 70 days after planting. Make sure to check the peas daily, and once you see that the flowers are in bloom, make sure that the peas are well picked so that more pods can develop.
It is essential to harvest the peas every morning since they are crispiest at that time. Also, you have to use your hands when you pick them. Keep in mind that pea pods that have hardened or are dull in color are already overripe.
Storing Peas
You can keep the peas in the refrigerator for five days by putting them in paper bags, then wrap it in plastic.
Aside from that, you can also put them in a Tupperware in a cool environment.
Preserving Peas
There are also a lot of things that you can do to preserve peas. The shelled ones, you can preserve them by brining, freezing, drying, or canning.
Before doing those processes, you have to shell the peas. Next, you choose how you want to preserve the peas. Preserving peas at home is more convenient than having to buy canned peas from the groceries because those have preservatives in them, and too many preservatives will not do your body good.
Conclusion
Peas have been known to humankind for centuries. From then, it has been part of our diets. It is one of the healthiest foods known to us. Plus, there are lots of uses for this plant.
Before knowing how long does it take for peas to grow, you have to know how to plant them, to develop them, to harvest them, and to store them.
Peas grow sixty to seventy days. However, you need to be very meticulous when planting and growing peas because they are very fragile, and you have to check them every day to make sure that they are mature enough to be harvested. Know more about peas.