Ep. 202 The Humble Garden Pea: History and How to Grow Them | #GoodGrowing

Welcome to another episode of the Good Growing Podcast! Join horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson as they delve into the fascinating world of garden peas, Pisum sativum. Explore the rich history of garden peas, from their origins in ancient agriculture to their role in the development of modern genetics. Get practical advice on planting, caring for, and harvesting garden peas, including tips on soil preparation, spacing, and dealing with common pests and diseases. From childhood memories of canned and frozen peas to the joys of growing your own, this episode covers everything you need to know about these humble yet delightful vegetables.

Skip to what you want to know:
00:37 Hey Ken! What type of peas did we eat growing up? Canned, frozen, or fresh?
02:44 National Garden Bureau Plant of the Year - The Garden Pea
03:23 Is it time to plant garden peas in early March?
06:15 The history of the garden pea. Domestication
09:39 Why did humans pick the garden pea for domestication 10,000 years ago?
11:54 The dawn of a sweeter garden pea.
14:31 Talking about Gregor Mendel and the birth of modern genetics.
17:07 Growing garden peas
18:09 Shelling peas
19:03 Snow/Sugar peas
19:41 Snap peas
22:01 Growing requirements spacing, soil, trellising, etc.
24:16 What pea cultivars does Ken grow in his garden?
27:28 Using peas as a bioassay.
28:20 How deep do you plant pea seeds?
29:24 Garden pea problems
32:14 Thank yous and coming up next week.