Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

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karstopography
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Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#1

Post: # 80634Unread post karstopography
Sun Oct 16, 2022 9:23 am

I’m planning on taking a shot at growing peas this fall into winter. Likely planting these starting in November into December here on the Zone 9a/b line for harvest starting in February into March and perhaps April.

Any particular varieties to recommend?
I’ve got seeds for Green Beauty Snow peas. Sugar Daddy Snap Pea, Cascadia Snap Pea , Wando Shelling Peas, and Lillian's Caseload Shelling Pea. Did I pick any good varieties or are these duds? It’s not too late for me to consider other types.

Just how much frost can peas take or is it variable depending on type?

Any other important tidbits to consider?
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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Tormato
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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#2

Post: # 80638Unread post Tormato
Sun Oct 16, 2022 11:01 am

I'll inventory my pea collection, tonight.

I can't help you on anything specific for fall/winter, as I've never had success with a fall crop, up here.

The best thing to consider is to try several varieties, while recording your weather. Then see what, if anything, works for you, in your location.

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#3

Post: # 80644Unread post PlainJane
Sun Oct 16, 2022 11:28 am

I grow Royal Snap, Green Beauty, Royal Snow & Opal, all good snow/snap peas.
Shiraz and Sugar Magnolia also get a little space for their colors.
A few degrees of frost presented no problems that I saw.
“Never try to outstubborn a cat.”
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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#4

Post: # 80689Unread post Tormato
Sun Oct 16, 2022 5:59 pm

If I remember correctly, pea plants can withstand a low of about 28 degrees. I have no idea if wind, humidity, or anything else would have an effect beyond just the temperature.

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#5

Post: # 80692Unread post bower
Sun Oct 16, 2022 6:18 pm

I haven't grown Cascadia, but it is recommended for fall crops on the west coast of Canada because of resistance to mildew and enation virus, so it should be a good one.
I still haven't checked on our experimental late pea planting at the farm, which should be producing now if they survived the Earl. My own peas were very blighted after that, but overall I was most impressed with Tai Chung. It was able to outgrow the disease that was spreading from other types and kept producing peas longer than the rest. I didn't find these sweet enough as a raw eating snow pea, but when lightly stir fried they are very tasty - new favorite for that. Also they stayed crisp after picking for longer than the others (Golden Sweet and Calvert). Calvert is a huge pod pea very sweet and so good raw, a great salad snow but best eaten the same day picked (I don't have a veggie crisper in the fridge).
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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#6

Post: # 80708Unread post JRinPA
Sun Oct 16, 2022 9:47 pm

Cascadia is pretty short dtm, and I've had good luck with it spring and fall. I cover them with row cover when it gets to frosty time. If it is just a light frost and gets warm the next week, I may well get more flowers lit off.

I put sugar sprint in a backyard bed this year as a cover crop, they are flowering. They are a little faster than cascadia, supposedly, but I've never raced them. These went in late for a harvest but who knows, depends on the next few days if we get a freeze or not. For fall harvest here it is mid-end of july or early aug planting.

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#7

Post: # 80711Unread post Tormato
Sun Oct 16, 2022 10:23 pm

Bower wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 6:18 pm I haven't grown Cascadia, but it is recommended for fall crops on the west coast of Canada because of resistance to mildew and enation virus, so it should be a good one.
I still haven't checked on our experimental late pea planting at the farm, which should be producing now if they survived the Earl. My own peas were very blighted after that, but overall I was most impressed with Tai Chung. It was able to outgrow the disease that was spreading from other types and kept producing peas longer than the rest. I didn't find these sweet enough as a raw eating snow pea, but when lightly stir fried they are very tasty - new favorite for that. Also they stayed crisp after picking for longer than the others (Golden Sweet and Calvert). Calvert is a huge pod pea very sweet and so good raw, a great salad snow but best eaten the same day picked (I don't have a veggie crisper in the fridge).
Tai Chung, TC11 or TC13?

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#8

Post: # 80712Unread post karstopography
Sun Oct 16, 2022 10:23 pm

My county ag extension service planting calendar has peas getting planted 10/01- 12/15 and then 01/15-03/01. So October into mid December and then again mid January to the end of February. From what I have read, peas have a sweet spot with days at 70° or below and nights above 50°. Absolute sweet spot of 55-65°. But, evidently peas will continue grow if it is above 40° and can tolerate somewhat warmer than 70° conditions if given plenty of water.

If they are getting planted in the summer for a fall harvest, isn’t the soil too warm in July or August? I’ve read peas should not be planted in soil warmer than 70°.

That’s kind of one of the issues here, waiting for the soil to cool a bit. Weather’s supposed to cool down tomorrow, I’ll try to get a soil temperature reading this week. Maybe it’s cool enough to plant already. November air temperatures averages 73/55°, December 68/48°, January, 63/45°, February 66/49°, March 72°/55°, April 78/62°, getting into May, it’s got to be too hot for peas.

November and December look good for best growth based on temperatures. Then again February and March.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#9

Post: # 80715Unread post JRinPA
Sun Oct 16, 2022 11:23 pm

For the first few years I waited until Aug 8th for fall peas. I figured that myself from counting backward from frost and it seemed to work pretty well for one really big push of peas and then some frost kissed ones. Then I read a planting table on Johnny's website. It said to plant earlier, like mid July- late July for here, for peas, so I tried it. I think it was three weeks earlier. It is more of a tight schedule in that I have to have a bed freeing up 3 weeks earlier. But I tried it and they came up okay, multiple harvests. I think two years I did that. The weeds were a bit of a problem, but the production was pretty good and earlier. This year, I didn't bother with fall planting, we have so many peas in the freezer already. I just used some for cover crop.

I don't think the heat bothers the peas much when they are sprouts and in growing stage. As long as they get water. I usually use tunnel to start them as well so the sun doesn't beat down on them. They don't like the heat when flowering and producing pods, that's for sure. By the end of August the soil is starting to cool off and sun is a lot lower.

I don't know about the 70 degrees, is that a hard number? I think peas will sprout at higher temp yet. Lettuce doesn't seem to want to sprout above 70 Parsnip will not sprout above 70. Not sure about peas though.

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#10

Post: # 80722Unread post bower
Mon Oct 17, 2022 5:44 am

Tormato wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 10:23 pm
Bower wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 6:18 pm My own peas were very blighted after that, but overall I was most impressed with Tai Chung. It was able to outgrow the disease that was spreading from other types and kept producing peas longer than the rest. I didn't find these sweet enough as a raw eating snow pea, but when lightly stir fried they are very tasty - new favorite for that. Also they stayed crisp after picking for longer than the others (Golden Sweet and Calvert). Calvert is a huge pod pea very sweet and so good raw, a great salad snow but best eaten the same day picked (I don't have a veggie crisper in the fridge).
Tai Chung, TC11 or TC13?
IDK. I got it from McKenzie Seeds. Flowers are pink. Pods are dark green about two inches long and maybe 1/2 inch wide or less. Snow pea. Starts to produce when the plants are not tall, like semi-dwarf, but it keeps on growing and producing, this year they got to 5 ft or more.
AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
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yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#11

Post: # 80723Unread post karstopography
Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:10 am

JRinPA wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 11:23 pm

I don't know about the 70 degrees, is that a hard number? I think peas will sprout at higher temp yet. Lettuce doesn't seem to want to sprout above 70 Parsnip will not sprout above 70. Not sure about peas though.
That’s the maddening thing about looking up detailed gardening information because most gardening sites online state a temperature range of 40-70° for peas for germination without really any leeway stated or implied. I finally found one site that says
For very warm soil temperatures of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius) or higher, peas will germinate quickly, but the germination rate will be lower.
https://greenupside.com/how-long-does-i ... -speed-up/

But, I’m not surprised that this type of specific and detailed information on germination temperature was so hard to find. Important details like this are as a rule are excluded or omitted from the well known seed vendors and other online garden “expert” sites.

The way I see it, a good, detailed article on seeds for any crop would explain germination characteristics for the seed up and down the range and what exactly happens temperatures above and below the “ideal” ranges. Good and well detailed planting articles and instructions online are rare as hen’s teeth, unfortunately.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#12

Post: # 80725Unread post bower
Mon Oct 17, 2022 7:29 am

I bet there is a lot of variation in the germination characteristics of different peas. Would be nice to find some that are well adapted to germinate at higher soil temperatures. I would think that some breeder would select for that.
Anyway it's great that you have a soil thermometer, I'd love to hear back your results with different varieties if the same kind of data isn't available in a publication somewhere.
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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#13

Post: # 80728Unread post karstopography
Mon Oct 17, 2022 8:35 am

I planted about 4 meters of Green Beauty Snow Peas. Decided to plant inside in a single row along the north side of my raised beds so as not to shade too much the crops to the south. Green beauty are reported to be tall, 2 meters plus, and with showy purple blooms. If they cling to the polymer rabbit exclusion nets surrounding each of the raised beds, that can serve as a trellis. Soil temperature at planting depth is ~75°, 24°and a degree or two warmer deeper. Weather is supposed to be unseasonably cool the next 3 or 4 days so hopefully I’ll get a good germination with the soil cooling down slightly.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#14

Post: # 80730Unread post GoDawgs
Mon Oct 17, 2022 8:44 am

This is a chart, originally published in the '80s is one I've relied on for years and seems to still hold pretty true, at least for my area. It shows percentages of germination at various temps for a list of vegetables and the optimalgermination temp for each. The link is still alive after all this time.

https://tomclothier.hort.net/page11.html

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#15

Post: # 80731Unread post Tormato
Mon Oct 17, 2022 9:03 am

Bower wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 5:44 am
Tormato wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 10:23 pm
Bower wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 6:18 pm My own peas were very blighted after that, but overall I was most impressed with Tai Chung. It was able to outgrow the disease that was spreading from other types and kept producing peas longer than the rest. I didn't find these sweet enough as a raw eating snow pea, but when lightly stir fried they are very tasty - new favorite for that. Also they stayed crisp after picking for longer than the others (Golden Sweet and Calvert). Calvert is a huge pod pea very sweet and so good raw, a great salad snow but best eaten the same day picked (I don't have a veggie crisper in the fridge).
Tai Chung, TC11 or TC13?
IDK. I got it from McKenzie Seeds. Flowers are pink. Pods are dark green about two inches long and maybe 1/2 inch wide or less. Snow pea. Starts to produce when the plants are not tall, like semi-dwarf, but it keeps on growing and producing, this year they got to 5 ft or more.
I haven't grown either in about a decade. My remembering is that one is flat podded, the other plump.

My guess is TC11, being flat podded and pink flowered (your description). Info on TC13 says plump pods, white flowers. And, while there may be more TC varieties, I've never come across any others.

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#16

Post: # 80734Unread post bower
Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:13 am

@Tormato what was the TC13 plump podded one like?
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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#17

Post: # 80739Unread post Tormato
Mon Oct 17, 2022 11:34 am

Bower wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:13 am @Tormato what was the TC13 plump podded one like?
I just have a vague memory of growing TC11 and TC13, both of which were very productive that year.

And then casting then aside (reduced to saving seed), when Super Sugar Snap started producing. Maybe they were good, to very good, but I compared them to great.

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#18

Post: # 80742Unread post bower
Mon Oct 17, 2022 12:28 pm

Yeah I was impressed with the Tai Chung production and pretty flowers in the first year, but I didn't think much of the peas. Only when I stirfried them this year I realized they are a superb tasting pea when lightly cooked.
Calvert is a favorite of our friend Nicky and it is for sure a great fresh eating pea with enormous pods. Not commercially available, so I saved some extra seed. For anyone fond of a large sweet podded pea to crunch fresh off the vine, and motivated to grow them out.
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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#19

Post: # 80784Unread post JRinPA
Mon Oct 17, 2022 9:03 pm

It could well be that the germination success % decreases with higher temps. When I plant I try for a rate of 25 per ft in a 3" band (johnny's rec) and I may overseed beyond that. Last year I remember I used my 2" dibble for 4 rows an inch apart which makes that rate about perfect. Even if some don't come in, that is plenty for a trellis. In a raised row the hard part is keeping seed wet in the summer heat so I try to arrange a drip tape right over the seed. With a 3" wide band, some are bound to stay dry.

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Re: Best Peas for Fall/Winter Peas?

#20

Post: # 80791Unread post WoodSprite
Mon Oct 17, 2022 11:35 pm

I grow Cascadia in my spring garden in Pennsylvania and like it a lot. I don't know how it does in Texas though.
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My garden is made of multiple 6' diameter x 24" tall round stock tanks, located in a small clearing on our wooded property in the center of Pennsylvania. Hardiness zone 6b (updated). Heat zone 4.

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