Saint Patrick's Day Peas

I usually plant my peas on Saint Patrick's Day- but the ground is frozen and it is less than a week away. I'm sure they will be fine but I will miss the tradition. Does anyone else do this?

Oceangirl, sounds like a good tradition if you can pull it off. But getting into frozen ground might be difficult. I know my in-laws used to say you had to have your potatoes in the ground by March 17th, but they lived deep in south Georgia, so if you can get your peas in that early you will be way ahead of time. Goodluck.

I've planted peas on occasion that early here in New Jersey but not this year. The ground even if completely thawed will still be so cold that unless you are using treated seed they will probably rot before they germinate. Even if they don't rot they will take so long to germinate that you might as well wait a few weeks until soil warmth is reasonable. You'll probably gain no time to harvest trying to plant now as opposed to early April.

Valentine's Day is 'pea plantin day' here in KY...and I've seen my grandmother with a mattock breaking the frozen ground to get her peas in...won't hurt them to be planted in the ice. She was living proof.

Lots of old folks would lay boards on the ground in the Fall and it was easier to turn them over and dig under them than the exposed ground come Feb.

Rich, I think you're right about waiting this year- The soil is frozen anyway- even if it wasn't it would be way too wet. I think once the soil has dried out a little and thawed I could plant them. They don't seem to mind the cold- I think they like it. Sometimes they sit for a long time before they do anything- so maybe not much is gained. I usually harvest them in June. I have had good luck with planting sweet peas this way also.
That's a great memory of your grandmother, melody! I like your idea about the board. I'll have to try that.

Oceangirl, the last two years we have planted super sugar snap peas. The last week in March we start some in cell packs. About April 15 we plant the seedlings and plant seeds at the same time. Our experience has been that the seedlings will stay ahead of the seeds and will produce peas a week or two earlier than the seeds. It's 11 degrees this morning and our ground is frozen too. So much for global warming!

I can remember reading advice about pea planting calling for planting as soon as the soil can be worked, so that might be the key, different times in different years. Good luck with those peas. And I'm pretty sure from what I read in the catalogs there are special varieties that are more adapted to very cold temps, One called Alaska comes to mind. Good luck. I'm going to try to put some peas in today myself, but it's pretty warm here today.

That's exactly it....as soon as the soil can be worked. Here in the Northeast it usually is mid to late March but unfortunately not this year. Peas are a cold weather crop and will not do well once warm weather sets in. Again that's unfortunate as I have the feeling that this year winter will quickly transition to summer with little spring in between. Another trick with peas which may help this year is to dig a trench 6" deep and plant the peas in the trench then fill in the trench with soil as the plants grow. This puts the roots much further in the ground where the soil will warm up later. Peas get unhappy when their roots are in warm soil.

Rich

Mike McGrath's highly amusing disertation on planting peas
on Pats for your amusement
http://www.whyy.org/91FM/ybyg/peas.html

Thanks for posting the link to Mike McGrath's site. I used to really enjoy him and Organic Gardening magazine back when he was the editor. I can always use a good laugh. I'm glad to know he's still out and about, I bookmarked his site so I can explore it more. I personally think the magazine went down hill for awhile after he left but it seems to be making a comeback. The all time low was when they changed the name to OG, IMO. If you didn't know what kind of mag it was, what would the letters OG tell you? Not much. Anyway, I digress, as usual. Sorry. Get the peas in the ground whenever you can. I got a few very short rows in today.

Thanks roxroe, I didn't realize it was LUCKY to plant peas on St. Pat's Day -I will have to "plant one just for luck!" LOL.

I miss Mike McGrath, too, roseone.

Interesting experiment, erehwontim- and I imagine it makes ofr a longet harvest, too. I wonder about global warming, too, It just seems to be getting colder here!

Uh, oh. I didn't plant any yesterday. Should I just wait 364 days? : )

I PLANTED my ""pre-sprouted"" SNOWBIRD PEAS on St. Patrick's Day......
ground temp. was 40 deg. Will let you know IF they eventually break thru the soil. They were pre-sprouted for 4 days using water + peroxide.

I planted Oregon sugar pod peas on Feb. 6. Ground never freezes here. They are 5-6 inches tall now and ready to start climbing the trellis. Last year I didn't plant early enough and only had a few weeks before the heat got them. I may have done it too soon this year, and then again maybe not. We'll see. Becky

Well, a few very short rows of peas went in last weekend but no sign of them yet. We've had a fairly cold week for us here and lots of rain, expecting more rain later today. I'm resisting digging in the ground to see if any have started to sprout. I don't want to give the racoons any ideas.

What is the ground temp supposed to be for peas? I keep putting it off cuz just when I think it's warming up it starts raining again. I wonder what the lowest temp. the peas will take?
-Juli

I've planted peas here in New Jersey in late March/early April into very cold soil many times and they normally sprout within 10-14 days. I do get a much better stand using treated seed. They need cool weather to grow. I've even had them covered at 2-3 inches high with 6 inches of snow and they survived that with no problems.

Rich

We're having a heat wave here at the moment. I sowed 2 lots of peas yesterday, I hope they'll be OK. I'd not heard of the St Patrick's day sowing for peas, but always used to wait for my father-in-law's birthday on May 12th before sowing runner beans outside. That always worked a treat :)

Sorry to say I didn't get my peas in yet. Not even one lucky one :(
But the snow is melting, and I'll get them in soon!
My mother planted hers, on St. Pats- and they will be ready for her traditional July 4th meal of Salmon and Garden Peas.

What a nice way to honor your father in law, philomel. Were you in a warm climate? Would that work for you where you live now?

That was in Kent and we followed his tradition :)
Here I think I can probably sow a week to 10 days earlier, but am waiting to prove that. We are further south and the days are hotter already, but I'm not sure when our last frost date is....

Sorry you didn't get your peas in oceangirl, so you'll be popping round to your Mum's?

yes, I probably will!
But I'll get my peas in in the next week or so.