Inoculant ? For Peas

I read in one of the past threads that if you've grown peas in a bed before, it's likely you don't need to add the inoculant again? If that is true, does it mean 'recent past', as in the last season, or ?? If one is rotating crops for the obvious benefits, it would seem that it would be longer than a year between plantings. I planted one patch with inoculant and two other patches that I forgot to add it? They are all coming up great. Would appreciate some input on this from some of you who have experience with this crop. . . Thanks, Janet

You have a great opportunity to determine if the inoculant is needed just by comparing the production of the patches. I have never been able to document any difference but my truck patches always have legumes from clover to lespideza. at some time during the year.

Thanks for your input. . .guess it will be a good test. . Thnx ;-)

Janet, I firmly believe you will be fine w/out adding inoculant each year. I really haven't noticed a big difference in using or NOT using it. Besides, now-a-days, most inoculant is an "all purpose" product...as in "great for Beans, peas, misc legumes" etc. That being the case it should be pointed out that the inoculant for beans is completely different from an inoculant for peas (or other legumes)...SO...by buying an "all purpose" you're really getting less for your money. In other words, if you're planting peas, why buy a pack of inoculant that is 50 percent pea inoculant and 50 percent bean inoculant...you'd really just be throwing half of it away because the peas won't be able to use the bean inoculant. It is two completely different bacteria.

I feel that a good healthy soil to begin with is loaded with all the necessities that your plants need, and with good rainfall and clean air your legumes will easily accept N from several areas (soil, air) and the available microbial bacteria, azotobacter, and earthworms in the soil will make available a well-rounded meal for your plants.

Great question you asked. Thanks!

Shoe. . .I thank you for some detailed explanation. . .made me do some more digging to find out what azotobacter is. . .I have most of the factors you mentioned present. . .probably about 50% ratio of compost to soil, lots of earthworms when I turn the soil and hope to start getting fall rains soon ;-))The clean air part is a little more difficult to manage. . .San Joaquin Valley air quality is pitiful and great cause for concern. All 3 kinds of peas are up and about 6-8inches tall and seem perfectly happy so far. What you say makes sense. . .thanks again, Janet

Janet,

There are two bacteria that are important in nitrogen fixation and thus can convert gaseous N2 from the air into usable nitrogen for the plant in a series of reactions that occur.

The notrogen innoculant that you buy has Rhizobium in it. There are different species of Rhizobium that are needed for different legumes.

Rhizobia actually invade the roots of legumes and so it's an intimate association.

Azotobacters are bacteria that "fix" atmospheric N as well, but they are free living and don't invade the roots. Usable N from Azotobacter is probably very minor as compared with the various Rhizobial species.

Most soils have enough Rhizobia to help provide usable N, but in the long run, no legume is dependent on Rhizobia for N, as Shoe has already mentioned.

Carolyn

Carolyn. . .thanks for your added explanation. . .I appreciate the willingness to share with those of us without the scientific background. ;-D Janet

Me too...! And she said it SO much better than I can!

Is there a way of checking your own soil to see if it has enough Rhizobia in it? You said "most soils". I live in what is called the "upper desert" of Calif. and I've had small little backyard veggie gardens but we moved to a new home with plenty of land and so this year will be my first year as a "real" gardener. 8,000sq.ft set aside for my new veggie garden. I'm so excited! I'm trying to get the soil ready. I bought a test kit but it didn't say anything about Rhizobia. It looks like it tests for everything else though. Tee Hee!

I think I use pea/bean innoculant for the same reason I use rooting hormone on my cuttings.... it makes me feel better, although it probably doesn't make much difference most of the time!

The girls down the street are starting to think about their science fair projects. Maybe I can talk one of them into seeing if innoculant makes a difference..... I'm assuming even seedlings would show some difference in growth, and I figure they can control for naturally occurring Rhizobia by using soilless medium & sterilizing it before planting..... We'll see!

I asked at two garden/ home stores if they carried a pea or bean innoculent and they didn't know what I was talking about. Could somebody tell me the brand name of one so that I could ask for it properly?
Thanks.
-Juli

Ok don't shoot me but...in my search about pea/bean innoculent I found this post to another message board and found it interesting....
[I used to spend $15 for powder to innoculate my beans and Legumes. Got it from Burpee. Got about a 70 per cent germination from it. Last year Burpee didnt have it so I went to the garden centers. The first five didnt carry it, they saw no reason for it. The sixth one told me to save my money and soak the beans (or peas, etc) in Coca-cola/Pepsi at room temp for 24 hours. I did this and behold almost got a 100% growth from it. Was told the Coke kills some kind of fungus??, whatever from the seeds. My neighbor does the same and almost every seed germinates. Dont know what does it but it workws and will do it again this year.]

Hmmm....anybody out there in Dave's Garden using Coke/Pepsi on their peas/beans?
-Juli

The pea/bean inoculant doesn't have an affect either way (good or bad) on seed germination. It is more to encourage bacterial growth in the soil/on the roots so the plants can utilize nitrogen.

I often soak my peas for a short time before planting them, using just plain water. Would rather drink the Pepsi! (Ahh Pepsi!...born and bred in good ol' NC!)