Sugar peas are the sort group of this crop. It includes many different varieties, differing in yield indicators and a number of other characteristics. Revealing them fully will help competent cultivation of the culture.
General characteristics
The name of sugar peas is associated with its chemical composition. The sugar content in it is higher, so the taste is sweeter.
The fruit of the culture is a pod consisting of cusps and peas. The absence of a parchment layer in the shoulder blades allows the use of young whole sugar pea pods.
The general characteristics of the sortogroup are as follows:
- height up to 2 m, rarely less than 0.5 m;
- pod length up to 12 cm, inside up to 10 peas;
- ripening periods are different, at least 30 days, can reach 3-3.5 months;
- fruiting duration - up to 6 weeks;
- 1 sq. m can bring up to 4 kg of fruit.
Sugar peas are predominantly a food plant. Its fruits are good in fresh form, can be used for preparing various dishes, suitable for harvesting in the winter in various ways.
The best varieties
There are many varieties of sugar peas, but some deserve special attention:
- Ambrosia. It grows to 0.5-0.7 m, matures in about 55 days. Pods of 9 cm, peas 0.8-0.9 cm in diameter. With 1 sq. m can collect up to 1.2 kg. The taste is sweet.
- Children's sugar. Height up to 0.8-0.95 m, matures in 40-45 days. Pods up to 11 cm, 7-9 peas in each. 1 sq. m brings up to 1.5 kg. The taste is sweet, fleshy shoulder blades.
- Zhegalova 112. It grows to 1.2-1.8 m, matures in 50 days. Pods up to 15 cm, each 5-8 peas. The taste is excellent, the shoulder blades are fleshy and juicy.
- Inexhaustible 195. Height up to 0.8-1.1 m, matures in 45-60 days. Pods of 8-10 cm, each 6-7 seeds. Harvest from 1 square. m 0.8 kg. The variety is suitable for industrial cultivation, is characterized by a high content of vitamins.
- Oscar. It grows to 0.8-0.9 m, matures in 65-70 days. Pods of 10 cm, inside 10-12 peas with a diameter of 0.8-1 cm. You can collect up to 0.9 kg. The variety is attractive for its high resistance to disease.
- Sugar slider. Height up to 0.7-0.75 cm, matures 53-55 days. Pods of 10 cm, inside 8-9 peas. The taste is delicate and sweet. This variety has no leaves, the fruiting duration is record. The slider is particularly demanding on moisture.
- Sugar Honey. It grows to 0.9-1.2 m, matures in 45 days. Pods of medium length, with 1 square. m can collect up to 0.6 kg. Peas have a very sweet and delicate taste.
- Sugar Oregon. Height up to 0.7 m, matures in 57-62 days. Pods of 10 cm, inside 5-7 peas. The blades are fleshy, the taste is sweet.
- Story. It grows to 1-1.5 m, matures in 80-90 days. Pods of 9 cm, each 9-10 peas. The yield is high, the taste is sweet, the shoulder blades are fleshy and juicy.
Landing
Peas are usually planted early; the crop tolerates small frosts well. Sugar varieties are recommended to be sown later than shelling, as they are more heat-loving. They are not afraid of a cold, but seed germination will be delayed.
Planting a crop is better in early May. Timing may shift depending on the climate in the region. Peas should be planted when the air warms up to 12 degrees, and at night the temperature will drop no lower than 2 degrees.
When choosing a site, one must remember the rules of crop rotation. The following predecessors are considered good for peas:
- potatoes;
- sugar beet;
- oats;
- barley;
- buckwheat;
- corn;
- pumpkin;
- Tomatoes
- cucumbers.
Sugar peas are grown in sunny areas, although partial shade is also suitable for some varieties. The culture grows well on sandy and loamy soil, prefers neutral acidity. The site should be open and well ventilated, the proximity of groundwater is not allowed.
Site preparation should begin in the fall. When digging the beds to make organic fertilizers - up to 6 kg per 1 square. m. Mandatory removal of weeds and old plants, burning of plant debris. In spring, when loosening, it is effective to spread ash. The application of lime helps to reduce the acidity of the soil.
Sugar pea seeds must be properly prepared for sowing:
- Go through the planting material. Remove all rotten and spoiled specimens.
- Check germination. To do this, dissolve 1 tbsp. l salt in a liter of water and lower the seeds into the resulting solution. To get rid of the emerged specimens, they will not rise. Rinse and dry the remaining seeds.
- Soak seed to accelerate germination for 12 hours in water at room temperature, change it every 3 hours. The first 3 hours, the seeds can be kept in a solution of Humate, Epin or Nitragin - they will germinate faster, disease resistance will increase.
Before sowing sugar peas, loosening of beds is necessary. This should be done directly on the day of planting. The soil before sowing should be moistened. It is recommended to make beds no more than 1 m wide.
Sugar peas are planted with seeds. It’s convenient to make holes for this. Planting pattern depends on the variety of culture - all recommendations can be found on the packaging with seeds. They need to be deepened by 3-6 cm, given the density of the soil. Between the rows leave 25-30 cm, between adjacent plants - at least 10 cm. After distributing the seeds in the holes, you need to sprinkle them with earth and lightly tamp.
It is recommended that shelters be organized before emergence so that the birds do not pull off the peas. For this, mesh, film, grass, straw, branches are suitable.
Crop care during cultivation
When growing sugar peas, comprehensive care is important.
Watering
Sufficient moisture is a prerequisite for good growth and development of the culture. Overmoistening is fraught with diseases.
For watering peas, drip irrigation is ideal; for individual beds, a watering can with a fine mesh is sufficient. For 1 square. m requires approximately 10 liters of water.
Water the sugar peas once a week. During flowering, watering is frequent up to 2-3 times a week. The soil should always be moist. In drought, the culture is watered every 5 days, during rainy periods additional moisture is not required.
After watering, row-spacing is required. This is important for good soil aeration. Instead of loosening, you can take care of mulching.
Top dressing
With proper preparation of the site in the fall and fertile soil, pea feeding during cultivation may not be required. The culture responds well to potash and phosphorus fertilizers. You can use potassium salt and superphosphate by adding 10 g of each substance to a bucket of water. The first dressing should be done before flowering, then repeat with an interval of 2 weeks.
If the land is depleted, it is recommended to water it with herbal infusion. For these purposes, it is better to use nettle without seeds.
Weeding
Mandatory comprehensive care for the cultivation of sugar peas. Weed vegetation must be removed regularly, immediately remove the remains.
Strong growth of weeds must not be allowed, otherwise it will be problematic to remove them. The stalks of peas are thin, it is often intertwined with other plants, which greatly complicates the work.
Weeds draw a lot of moisture and nutrients that are necessary for the culture. Without timely weeding, peas grow and develop worse, and the risk of diseases and pests increases.
Tying
This should be done when the stems grow to 15-20 cm. At a height of 30-40 cm without support, lodging will begin. Tying reduces the risk of disease, provides an even distribution of sunlight for the development of culture, growth and ripening of fruits.
Pest and Disease Control
A common problem with peas is the defeat of various fungi:
- ascochitosis;
- root rot;
- peronosporosis;
- powdery mildew;
- rust;
- gray rot.
To combat them, fungicides are used:
- Bordeaux liquid;
- Fundazod;
- Trichophyte;
- Alirin;
- Fitosporin-M.
Alternative methods can also help: spraying with a solution of potassium permanganate, infusion of onion peel. Affected plants must be removed, plant residues burned.
Another problem is bacteriosis, which is manifested by large brown spots. To fight, resort to spraying with such means:
- Bordeaux liquid;
- copper sulfate;
- Phytolavine;
- Gamair.
A lot of peas and potential pests:
- Grain. It is necessary to deal with it with special preparations: Caesar, Accord, Tsepellin, Tsunami.
- Pea moth. Pesticides will help to cope with it: Alcot, Operkot, Paragraph. An infusion of garlic is also effective.
Landings should be inspected regularly. If you do not take timely measures against the disease or pest, you can lose a significant part of the crop.
Harvesting and storage
Harvesting sugar peas should be done gradually, as they mature. Tear pods carefully so as not to break the stems.
Sugar peas are very tasty, so they are often consumed fresh. Pods should be placed in a refrigerator or other cool place. There they can lie for up to 2-3 weeks.
For long-term storage of the crop, they resort to various methods:
- Freezing. Both peas and whole pods freeze. First you need to put the raw materials in one layer, after hardening, put them in a bag or container.
- Canning. More often peas are harvested in a marinade from water, vinegar, salt and sugar.
- Drying. Peas can be dried in natural conditions, in an oven, in a special dryer. Store raw materials in sealed containers.
Sugar peas are gentle and sweet, which is what children love the most. It is not difficult to grow this culture; the crop can be harvested in different ways. When planting and caring, you need to consider the recommendations for a particular variety.