How and when to sow peas in the ground?

Seed preparation

Peas are famous not only for their beneficial properties, but also for the possibilities that the plant gives to any gardener. Often the plant is used as a siderat, that is, if it is necessary to sow something on the ground between plantings of different crops. This makes it possible to enrich the soil. Moreover, peas are a cold-resistant plant, completely undemanding to the soil on which they are planted. And due to the presence of nodule bacteria on the roots, peas are able to enrich the soil with nitrogen, which is why this variety of legumes is often planted as a precursor to various vegetable crops.

Before planting peas, you need to figure out when to sow them, what soil to choose and how to prepare the seeds. Regardless of the fact that peas are a rather finicky plant, if all the rules and recommendations are followed, it is quite easy to grow it.

When to sow the seeds? It is best to land as early as possible. The most suitable time for this is April. It is customary to sow seeds at the end of the month, around the twentieth day. This is due to the fact that by that time the soil of the vegetable garden already dries out a little from snow and rain. At the same time, you can not be afraid of a decrease in the temperature index, which happens in spring, because seedlings of legumes can develop even with small frosts.

If you have chosen an early ripening variety of peas, then you can plant it even in July, starting from the first numbers. Experienced gardeners plant peas several times per season. At the same time, seeds are planted from the end of April to the beginning of July with a break of 10 days between crops. As many plant experts advise, planting seeds after July 10 is not recommended. It is said that in July, after the first ten days of the month, peas grow worse and give lower yields.

Before planting seeds in the soil, they need to be prepared. To do this, before planting, the seeds must be warmed up for five minutes in a hot solution of boric acid. The recommended solution temperature is 40 degrees, the solution is made by mixing two grams of acid per 10 liters of water. Using this measure, the possibility of damage to the plant by various diseases, pests, namely by the larvae of the nodule weevil, is significantly reduced.

After the seeds have swollen in the solution, they must be allowed to dry.

It often happens that gardeners do not have time to soak the seeds. In this case, it is recommended to sow them dry. Then they will swell in the ground by the evening.

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Soil preparation

After preparing for planting seeds, it is necessary to prepare the soil itself. The choice of a site for sowing peas is an equally important issue in the cultivation of this plant. First, it is necessary to choose a sunny area with deep groundwater.This is due to the fact that the roots of peas go into the depth of the earth by a meter, so they can rot due to the close location of water.

A light but preferably fertile soil is recommended. Some gardeners advise choosing lands richer in useful trace elements, preferably with readily available nitrogen.

An important fact - the plant takes root pretty well in various kinds of soil, except for acidic ones. If it so happened and the territory for planting peas has just such a soil, then it is first necessary to calcify the soil. If you ignore this factor, then the plant may either not take root at all, or it will constantly hurt.

Another way, in addition to liming, to combat acidic soil is wood ash. Neutrals neutralize acid at about 200-400 g per square meter. The amount of ash depends on the value of the acid index.

Many professional gardeners advise planting peas near young apple trees, in near-trunk circles, since their crowns, just starting to develop, do not create a large shadow for the peas. At the same time, this leguminous plant contributes to the enrichment of the soil near the trees with nitrogen, which favorably affects the growth of young apple trees.

Regardless of what is recommended to sow seeds in April - July, it is better to prepare the soil in the fall. To do this, you need to dig up the earth, while adding about 20-30 g of potassium salt for each square meter, as well as 50-60 g of superphosphate.

In the spring, just before planting, it is necessary to add about 10 g of saltpeter per square meter.

A fairly large number of gardeners warn that in no case should fresh manure be introduced as fertilizer for peas.

This plant does not tolerate this type of dressing. Moreover, the soil is quite enough for legumes, which was fertilized with the help of manure for its predecessors.

How to plant

When the seeds are harvested, and the soil has already passed all stages of processing, you can proceed to the direct planting of peas.

The question often arises after which plants can legumes be sown. Peas take root best after:

• tomato;
• potatoes;
• cabbage;
• cucumber;
• pumpkins.

It is not recommended to sow peas outdoors after beans, beans, soybeans, lentils, peanuts, and the peas themselves. In this case, the break between plantings should be at least a couple of months, while it is recommended to sow some kind of green manure.

Before planting peas in open ground, it is necessary to make beds with holes, the depth of which can vary from 5 to 7 cm, and the width - from 15 to 20 cm. The distance between the holes should be about 50-60 cm. For better germination, you can add to wells of compost, which is previously recommended to be mixed with ash, and sprinkle it with garden soil. In this case, the depth of the holes should remain about 3-5 cm.

The average recommended distance between seeds in a hole is 5–6 cm. The holes are covered with earth, which subsequently needs to be compacted in order to preserve moisture in the open ground, as well as to protect peas from birds.

After planting, you can cover the ground with a transparent film, some use a fishing net. This will protect the seedlings that appear in about 7-12 days. By the way, between the rows of peas, you can grow other unpretentious plants, such as lettuce or radish.

Care

Seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 4-7 degrees, but the most comfortable temperature for legumes is 10 degrees. It should be noted that heat is absolutely contraindicated for peas. In this case, it will be very difficult to wait for flowering. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant the plant in open ground after the tenths of July, besides, in many cities in July it is already quite hot.

The main care for peas in the open field can be considered watering, which requires subsequent loosening and weeding of the site. The first loosening can be carried out after two weeks, when shoots appear.Upon reaching the seedling height of 20–25 cm, it is necessary to put supports along which the plants should rise upward.

If you want a high yield, then you can pinch the top of the stems, then the plant will start up side shoots. Another important issue is pea fertilization. Since legumes planted in the open field often get sick and suffer from various pests, the use of all kinds of dressings is mandatory.

It is worth remembering that the growth and fertility of peas are negatively affected by heat, therefore, increased moisture is needed. Beans especially need moisture during the period when flowers appear. If up to this point the plant could be watered about once every 7 days, then from the beginning of flowering, and also later - twice a week.

Adhering to all the rules, then growing peas in the open field will bring not only a good harvest, but also pleasure.

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