Sugar Sprint Pea Seeds Item #V-2445 | 200 Seeds | Price: $2.95 Qty: 62 days to harvest. Edible Pea Pod Type. Like Sugar Ann, Sugar Sprint Pea Seeds produce early yields of delicious stringlespods that are very sweet and tender. Can be either on a short stake or on the ground. The 3" pods can be enjoyed off the vine, steamed or used in stir-fry. Package (200 seeds). T = Treated Seed A treated seed is no different than giving a child a vaccination shot when they are young. The seed is given a protected cover to insure higher germination rate once it is planted in soil that may contain many bacteria and fungi. If the seed is not treated, the conditions in the soil can lower the germination rate or destroy the young seedling.

Vegetable Garden � Tips on Growing Peas From Seeds

Tradition use to say that you plant your pea seeds as soon as the soil can be worked, however peas actually germinate much slower in cold soil. The colder the soil the longer it will take to germinate. It will take from 9 days in 60�F (16�)C soil temperature, to 36 days in 40�F (4�)C soil temperature. Let the soil warm up a bit, or use a dark plastic cover to warm the soil to shorten the days the first stage seed is in the ground. Peas that are planted a bit later catch up very quickly with those planted earlier without the chance of the seed rotting because the peas seed was in the ground too long.

PROPAGATION and SOWING:

• Sow your Pea seeds 1 to 1�� deep.
• Days to germinate are 9-14 days.
• Sow indoors: Not recommended.

USDA Hardiness Zone -First Frost Date- Last Frost Date

• Zone 1 -July 15th -June 15th
• Zone 2 -August 15th- May 15th
• Zone 3 -September 15th May 15th
• Zone 4 -September 15th May 15th
• Zone 5 -October 15th April 15th
• Zone 6 -October 15th April 15th
• Zone 7 -October 15th April 15th
• Zone 8 -November 15th March 15th
• Zone 9 -December 15th February 15th
• Zone 10 -December 15th January 31st (sometimes earlier)
• Zone 11 -No frost. No frost.

CARE & GROWING:

• Plant the seeds 1-2 inches apart in double rows spaced 3-6� apart, 24� between the next double row. Pea plants will tolerate crowding so may be spaced 2� apart.
• All peas, including dwarf types, are natural climbers, will be more productive and not as susceptible to rot, if given some support or planted along a fence or trellis. Pea seeds are available in both treated and untreated; if using untreated pea seeds, avoid planting in cold, wet, poorly aerated soils, as you risk loosing the seed to rot.
• Peas prefer full sun to partial shade with a soil pH of 6.0-7.0.
• Peas require a well-drained, rich and sandy soil. Work organic matter, including rotted manure or compost into the soil for best results. An application of Garden Inoculants, either to the soil or to the pea seeds themselves before planting, can be very beneficial.
• Even soil moisture is essential especially during flowering and pod set. Use mulch to conserve moisture and keep weeds down around your peas.

Nutrient Requirements

Rotation Considerations

• Good Companions: Carrot, Celery, Chicory, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Parsley, Radish, Spinach, Strawberry, Sweet Pepper and Turnip.
• Bad Companions: Onion and late potato.

To be sure about pH, test the soil with a pH meter. Apply fertilizer and lime using the results of the soil test as a guide.

• Soil pH is a measurement of the number of Hydrogen ions present in the soil solution along with as the acidity of the soil. When the soil pH is too acidic the nutrients that are present in the soil become locked-up or unavailable (low pH) or alkaline (high pH).
• Correcting the pH has the same effect as applying fertilizer as it unlocks plant nutrients already present.
• In the garden some garden plants thrive in acidic soils while others prefer an alkaline soil.
• The acidity or alkalinity of soil is a measurement by pH (potential Hydrogen ions). pH is a way to measure the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil, and the type of soil that you have.

To Measure Soil pH

Limestone is added to the soil to raise the pH level because limestone is essentially calcium and calcium reacts with water in the soil to yield hydroxyl ions .. a process known as, hydrolysis = thus the pH level in the soil is raised.

Sulfur reacts with bacteria in the soil and produces sulfuric acid, which releases hydrogen ions thus causing the soil to become more acidic =the pH level is lowered.

Application Of Lime (To Raise Soil pH)

To increase your pH by 1.0 point and make your soil more alkaline.

• Add 4 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in sandy soils
• Add 8 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in loamy soils
• Add 12 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in clay soils
• Add 25 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in peaty soils
• The addition of ash, bone meal, or crushed oyster shells will also help to raise soil pH levels.

Application of Sulfur (To Lower Soil pH)

If your soil needs to be more acidic, sulfur will lower the pH if it is available.

To reduce the soil pH by 1.0 point

• Mix in 1.2 oz of ground rock sulfur per square yard if the soil is sandy
• Mix in 3.6 oz per square yard for all other soils.
• Composted leaves, wood chips, sawdust, leaf mold and peat moss, will also help to lower the soil pH.

HARVESTING:

• For best tasting peas, harvest as pods become plump, but are still young and tender. Pick peas regularly to promote continued production. When you pick, is partially personal preference. If you prefer small, sweet peas, pick early. Experiment until you find which size and flavor you prefer.
• Snow Peas Pick Snow Peas as soon as the pod reaches mature length but before the peas in the pod are very mature. Do take the time to check often as the �Just Right� period will only last for a day or two.
• Sugar PeasThese are best when the pod and the peas in the middle are plump and the pea snaps like a bean pod. If the pod becomes stringy, remove the string by breaking off the tip and pulling the string or strings up towards the inside curve and down the middle.
• Garden Peas For the best flavor and texture, pick your Garden Peas when pods have filled out but are not bulging around the peas. Pick all the large ones that maybe you missed as pods left too long on the vine signal the plant to stop producing more peas.