Green pea balls taste best when picked directly from the plant.And such a guarantee of taste is provided only by growing in our own garden.Pisum sativum peas come in two botanical varieties: scale and sugar, which differ, among others, in the structure of the pods.
The pods of sugar peas are fleshy and non-bursting, while in the case of scale peas they are lined with parchment lining and break along the seams.These features affect their use - the edible part of sugar peas are whole pods, in case of husk peas and only seeds, collected on the so-called green peas or for dry seeds.
Botanical varieties of peas also differ in the color of flowers - scale forms usually bloom white, although there are also varieties that form red or purple flowers, while the sugar form of peas is dominated by red-violet color of flowers.
From legumes, peas have the lowest thermal requirements.It can therefore be sown early, even at the end of March.Pea emergence after 7-10 days, and the minimum temperature for germination is 2 -4 ° C. The length of the growing season for peas ranges from 60 to approx. 90 days, depending on the variety.
What attacks peas?
The most dangerous pest of peas is the pea aphid. By sucking out the sap, these pests cause leaf deformation, which leads to stunted growth and a significant reduction in yield. Aphids are easy to locate as they feed in colonies.The pea pod is also a dangerous pest.
Both larvae and adults (beetles) feed in the seeds, destroying them completely.Damaged seeds should be destroyed immediatelyPeas are also attacked by the pod cone.In this case, caterpillars feed on the seeds, contaminating them with faeces, making the seeds unfit for consumption.
Peas grow well in the company of vegetables, incl. cucumber, fennel, cabbage, spinach and rhubarb. On the other hand, the proximity of beans, potatoes, tomatoes and onion vegetables does not favor its growth.
Both sugar peas and shell peas harvested for green peas taste best right after harvest - then they contain the most simple sugars giving them a delicate, sweet taste.Freshly harvested unripe pea seeds must be eaten or processed as soon as possible, because even 2-3 hours after harvesting, the sugar structure changes significantly, and the increased amount of starch gives them a powdery taste.
Sweet peas taste best raw, but they can also be cooked and prepared like green beans.Young pods prepared in this way are crunchy and slightly sweet.They are exceptionally appetizing with balsamic sauce.
