Features

Peas can be grown twice a year in Berkeley: in early spring and early fall. Seed germinates rapidly when conditions are right, sown either in six-packs or directly into the ground. It is best to pre-soak seed overnight, and sow in moderately damp, not soggy soil. It is crucial to refrain from watering until leaves appear, or seed will rot. Nurseries carry every conceivable variety of pea plants, too, and these will transplant easily and thrive. Just remember to loosen the roots gently before dropping them into holes four inches apart. Now is the time to water, regularly. Peas fix nitrogen from the air with adapted roots. Water is all they need for growth. 

On the whole peas are free of pests, but an entire crop can be destroyed in a day by little brown birds. These charming Berkeley residents skip along the rows tweaking the young leaves and uprooting the tiny plants. One solution is to protect the plants with one-inch chicken wire. If the peas are planted against a fence, make sure to add a length of chicken wire along it. In front of the row of peas, install another length of wire, supported with vertical stakes. Neither side need be tall, three or four feet is enough. Curve the front piece around the ends and over the top. The peas will grow through this cage and benefit from the extra support for their tendrils. 

Climbing peas, like beans, tend to be more prolific than the bush varieties. And surely the genetic development of the edible pod was a major horticultural event. These can be fragile plants. If the first year’s performance disappoints, save the seeds and try next year. Once adapted to local conditions they will be more robust. 

Peas are a versatile addition to the dinner table. They are at their most pea-like when the pod is an inch or so long, and such a pleasurable snack that they rarely get as far as the kitchen. Then there is the shared fun of shelling peas, preferably out of doors, and a good way to give a very young child a start in kitchen matters. When the pods are fit to burst and start to lose color, they make an excellent puree, without the need for the presoaking and long cooking of the fully dried pea. These last, left on the vine until stalks are brown and brittle, can be podded and stored in open jars all year, providing heartwarming winter soups. A bay leaf in a jar will deter insects. Dried peas are mealy, and a pleasant change from beans.