The harvest of peas depends on the variety and the intended use. Crunchy fresh peas as a snack vegetable are picked at a different time than dried peas. This is how you hit the harvest with pinpoint accuracy.

Pick through several times for the best harvest quality

There is a period of 3 to 4 months between sowing and harvest. Since the pods of the individual varieties do not ripen simultaneously, the plants are picked repeatedly. If ripe peas remain on the bush for too long, this is at the expense of quality.

  • Harvest sugar snap peas when the kernels can be seen through the pod
  • Pick green peas when the pods appear plump and firm
  • Harvest green peas for fresh consumption when you can feel the kernels through the pod

The best time to harvest the peas is when the seeds emerge through the pods and feel hard. As a result, the point in time for eating raw cannot be early enough, because then you are harvesting particularly tender peas.

Harvest dried peas and seeds later

Peas that you intend to use as seed for the next season stay on the plant longer. They are only harvested when fully ripe, when the pods are already beginning to dry.

The same applies to the part of the harvest that is processed as dried peas in the kitchen. These pods dry for some time in an airy place. Instead of laboriously removing the grain from each husk, this crop quality is excellent for threshing.

Fresh from the bed into the freezer

Fresh peas are a culinary delicacy. Because the grains can only be stored for 2 to 3 days after harvesting, they are a rarity in the trade. As a hobby gardener, you enjoy the privilege of eating fresh peas. Excess crops go into the freezer.

  • get the peas out of the pod
  • Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes
  • Allow to cool and immediately place in a freezer bag

At a temperature of -18 degrees Celsius, the peas can be kept for 1 year.

tips and tricks

After harvest, cut the plants down to the ground and leave the roots in the ground. The root mass releases plenty of nitrogen and nourishes the soil for subsequent crops.

Category:

Vegetable garden