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Kathy’s Garden Writing |
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THE ST. PATRICK’S DAY PEA SCAM You’ve all heard the gardener’s rule of thumb: Plant your peas on St. Patrick’s Day. But around here, global warming or not, there’s often snow on the ground in mid-March. So what gives? This advice obviously works best in Ireland, where the weather is milder, with fewer temperature extremes. Irishmen discovered that they could generally plant their peas at the time of the spring equinox. Since St. Patrick’s Day is a great seasonal marker for the vernal sun and moon alignment, the adage about pea planting arose. A more universal rule, but not nearly as memorable, is that peas should be planted when the soil temperature reaches a minimum of 40 degrees, with an optimum range of 60 to 75 degrees. If planted too early, root rot and other soil-borne diseases can occur (not to mention the danger of broken spades and frost-bitten hands). Data from past years suggest that April 1st is about right for pea planting in this area. So, let’s see if we can coin a more appropriate reminder for Northeast PA. How about “Only ‘Fools’ plant their peas on St. Patrick’s Day?” If that doesn’t work for you, here’s another guidepost. Peas can generally be planted when lilac and wild cherry leaves are unfurling, a “fool”-proof reminder from Mother Nature, who inevitably knows best. Now let’s learn more about these early summer vegetables. Peas have been cultivated for about 6000 years, with the first evidence of domestication found in Southern Syria and Southeastern Turkey. As agriculture moved north, into Europe, the pea went along, with many adaptations. A favorite adaptation of this ancient vegetable is the American ‘Super Sugar Snap,’ an edible pod pea found readily in catalogues and seed displays. It’s a prolific producer on five- to six-foot vines, and disease-resistant. Best of all is its sweet crunchiness. Even kids, who seem genetically programmed to abhor anything green, will eat these little gems right off the vine. Although pea and green are almost synonymous, suppliers are also featuring colorful varieties from around the world. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (1-417-924-8917 or www.rareseeds.com) offers a yellow snap pea, called ‘Golden Sweet.’ An heirloom originating in India, the six-foot vines are reportedly quite attractive, with two-toned purple blossoms and flat lemon-yellow pods. Flavor is described as sweet and nutty -- a great addition to stir-fries. And Sandhill Preservation Center (1-563-246-2299) has an unusual purple pea from Holland, ‘Blue Capucijner,’ that is best used shelled in soups but can also be eaten raw when young. The hard-to-pronounce name honors the Capuchin monks who developed this attractive vegetable. You could in fact plant all three of these pea varieties entwined on a trellis, a colorful international gathering. Yes, the Irish may have early peas, but you could have the prettiest and most flavorful pea tapestry around, and get points for political correctness as well. Kathleen Arcuri Published March 16, 2008 – The Danville Daily Item |