Pea Purple Ezetha

Description

Fabaceae Pisum sativum

Heirloom from the Netherlands, early variety. Plants that can reach 80cm in height with dark violet, straight pods. Pods are about 7-9cm in length and usually containing 7-8 peas each. This variety can be sown twice a year: from Feb. to May and again from Sep. to Nov.

Sowing:
This cool-season crop thrives in sandy, well-draining soil, and full sun. Sow in winter or spring, no deeper than one inch and 2-3 inches apart in all directions. For bush types, space rows two feet apart; space climbing varieties in rows three feet apart or in double rows 6-8 inches apart with a trellis, fence, etc. Allow three feet between each double row.

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Info:

Peas are split into three main types, Shelled Peas, Mange Tout, and Sugar Snap peas.

Mange Tout and Sugar Snap peas have sweet edible pods that are harvested at different stages of maturity. Flat-podded Mange Tout is harvested while young, whereas round-podded Sugar Snap Peas are harvested when they are semi-mature.

Shelling peas are grown for the peas inside the pods. Once the peas have been removed the pods are discarded. These peas fall into two main types, early and main-crop and are also divided into the sweeter wrinkle-seed and hardier smooth-seed varieties.

Young, fresh pea shoots are both edible and delicious, try them on salads and stir-fries.

The best way to achieve a long harvest of peas is to sow successively from March onwards. Sow the seeds 2.5cm deep and 5cm apart into the soil of at least 5C. Earlier sowings can be made from February using cloches to warm the soil. For successive plants sow the next batch of seed once the previous sowing has reached a height of 5cm.

With the exception of dwarf varieties and some modern self-supporting types, pea plants will need staking or netting to help support them. Early and regular picking will encourage more pods to develop. Info from plantsofdistinction.co.uk