Yesterday I made my first outdoor planting of the season – I planted 1 packet (1 oz) of Burpeeana Early peas. I have a ton of containers that were left by the previous tenant where I live, so I decided to plant these peas in a container. Since peas grow upward on vines and they get nitrogen from the air, they are a great choice for planting in a container. Also by putting them in a container, it reduces the chance of animals getting to my peas.
Support
The Burpeeana Early variety is a dwarf variety, so it can be grown without support, but I still think supporting the peas will produce a better crop. So I used a single ring tomato cage with mesh tied around it with string. The mesh will also hopefully help to keep out unwanted pests.
Spacing
When I planted the peas, I put them close together, about an inch apart. Peas don’t mind being close together, in fact the competition for space will help the peas grow nice and tall. I planted the peas in 3 furrows that were a series of rings. In the center, I planted all the peas in a cluster. The peas in the center will be able to grow and grab onto the mesh for support.
Using Soil Inoculant
Before I buried the peas, I sprinkled on some soil inoculant (Burpee calls their Burpee Booster). The inoculant contains bacteria that will help the plants in converting the nitrogen in the air for it’s own use. It is not a fertilizer. When I buried the peas, I push them down about an inch or so and covered them with soil.
Expected Harvest
According to the seed package, harvesting comes in 63 days. I planted them on Sunday, March 21st, so counting ahead 63 days, bring us to Sunday, May 23rd. So I will have plenty of time to grow and harvest these peas, and then use that same container to plant something else like pole beans.
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