snow peas

i live in zone 5 b. my last frost is usually may 15th. when do you think i should plant the seeds into the garden. also, for those of you who have planted snow peas, do i need to buy that innoculent (or something like that) thats supposed to keep the seeds from rotting. thanks for any help. by the way, i usually start tilling the ground in the beginning of april.

Herbie, why not start from seed in April. All you need is light and you have complete control of moisture. After six weeks you'll have healthy seedlings that are ready for transplant.

tplant - i've heat that its not good to start peas and beans from seeds because the root system can't take the transplanting from one one container to another. i do remember once many years ago i stated beans indoors and had no problem. guess i give it a try again.

Try peat pots to start them,this way you never disturb the roots!

Herbie,

YOu can plant your peas in the ground as soon as it becomes workable and in our area that probably won't be until close to April.

I just can't see the sense of starting seeds inside, but you can do it if you wish.

Are you planting snow peas or edible podded peas that you let get some actual peas inside? I like the latter b/c you get more "peas" for the same growing space.

You mentioned inoculant. And then spoke of keeping seeds from rotting. Two difference concepts here.

First, most pea seed comes coated with an anti-fungal which does help when seeds are put in cold wet soils and does help prevent seed rotting.

But when you refer to an inoculant, you're talking about adding Rhizobia bacteria in dried form to either the pea seed or sprinkled in the row. Rhizobia are bacteria which take nitrogen from the air and alter it into the form of usable N for the plants.

Don't bother with it. Most soils already have enough nitrogen fixing bacteria in them already.

Carolyn

My peas are up about 3 inches as of yesterday..can't wait for some really fresh bursts of yumminess.

I plant as soon as the soil can be worked. That's about Valentine's Day here, but I planted a week earlier this year.

As long as it's not gooey or clumpy wet, it should be fine. I hill up my pea bed in the fall before it gets bad and then all I have to do is scratch around and plant the seeds.

As far as inoculant goes, I've done it both ways and can't tell much difference. If you've got decent soil, as Carolyn says, it's not mandatory that you do this.

thank you all for your comments.
czrolyn - i'm going to plant the ones that are really flat when you pick them, whichever ones they might be.
melody - understand what you're saying. maybe i will try just a few indoors and the rest directly seed into the ground. thanks again

There are always newspaper pots if you can't wait to get something growing, you just plant pot and all. I have one of those gadgets to make them, but I have made them from newspaper strips wrapped around a small jar and held them together with a little dab of masking tape.

I've heard you can even winter sow peas.I'm gonna give it a try. I'm zone 5 also. Seems mother nature knows when it's safe for them to come up. Thamks, Jody PS I'll let you know how they come out or if they croak.

I'm in zone 7 and I planted my sugar snaps yesterday, our soil was workable so I added a lot of compost and rabbit droppings, and worm castings. Last year when my little pea plants were about an inch high we had a snow storm, so I ran outside and put clear plastic glasses (I had purchased them for this use) over them and the next day when I removed them the peas were just fine. Can't wait till I can go out in the mornings and have a few for "breakfast'. My favorite veggie.