Peas with no peas!

[erins327]

I have the most gorgeous snow peas growing in my garden. I planted them a few months ago, they are up on the trellis, loving life. However, I have no peas.

Whats up with that? It is boggling me. I thought maybe it was a phosphorus deficiency, however my last soil tests my phosphorus, and nitrogen came back an excellent ppm score. They are all growing on a trellis, but are quite compacted. Maybe thats it? I didnt weed them out enough? Oh well, they are still adding nitrogen to the soil right?

[catgrass]

Could it be lack of pollinators? Kinda cool weather will keep the bees and others in slow motion.

[imafan26]

That's my guess too. It may be you planted too early. However in zone 8 you don't have a lot of frost and this is a warm winter. I think snow peas take about two and a half months of growth especially if it is colder. They don't like to be below 45 degrees much. Pinching the tips can encourage pea formation. Make sure you do not give it too much nigtrogen. If you have good nitrogen fixers in the soil, the peas can make their own, but inoculation helps all legumes. Too much nitrogen will get you a lot of growth without much flowering. Longer days will increase the light exposure and helps the plants go from vegetative to flowering. Peas do need room they get more diseases and they don't have enough root space. 18 inches is a better distance for them. If the vines are too bunched together when they flower it will be a little bit more work for the bees to get into the flowers to pollinate them and more work when you have to try to harvest pods from the tangle.

[jal_ut]

If you want peas, plant 5 rows ten inches apart and 25 feet long. Then do that with 5 different varieties. You will have peas.

May I suggest that you try several different varieties? I know here I planted about ten varieties till I found what works in this clime.

[applestar]

Are you saying they are blooming but not setting pods, or that the vines are growing great but not blooming. Most snow peas are later maturing than most snap peas or shell peas and don't start blooming until later, so that's something to keep in mind too.

If they ARE BLOOMING but shriveling up and dropping without making pods, and it's a pollinator insect issue, I have heard that you can encourage them to set by buzzing with an electric toothbrush just like tomatoes and peppers, because just like them, peas have perfect blossoms that can self pollinate with own pollen within the flower. I did this with snap peas I grew in the Winter Indoor Garden last year, and had good result (as much as could be expected from limited growing conditions indoors).

[theforgottenone1013]

Are you saying they are blooming but not setting pods, or that the vines are growing great but not blooming.

That's my question as well. If they aren't blooming then it should simply be a matter of time before they do. Although you also said that your soil test showed a good amount of nitrogen. Could be too much for the peas (which do not need very much) causing lots of vine growth but no flowers.

-Rodney

[erins327]

They are great looking plants, about 4 feet tall, big leafy greens, but not even any flowers. I actually went out this morning and there is one flower on about 15 plants.

I wish I kept the seed packet they came in, thats unlike me to throw it away, but I bought a winter cover crop variety that was mixed with oats as well. I thought with the snow peas it was a win- win.

And maybe they are all too close together seeing that I just broadcasted the seed in a row and really didnt thin.
I have not fertilized because I knew for sure nitrogen wasnt the issue, and my fertilizer tests said phosphorus is almost too good, to drop back a little.

Maybe I am being impatient. I do forget I've got about 3 monthes left here in ol' Texas before I start loosing my winter stuff to heat. I hope this is the case!

[ButterflyLady29]

If you have one flower now, more should be coming. Patience Grasshopper, they should be blooming soon.

Did you know some parts of pea plants are edible? I learned that last year. I haven't tried it yet but may this year. Some years our winter jumps right into summer and the peas don't bloom well. At least I could get some sort of crop if I learn how to prepare the vines.

[imafan26]

Yea, you can eat the pea shoots in salad. Days to first bloom is about 60 days so if they are a couple of months old they should be blooming soon. Cooler weather slows things a bit so +- 10 days or so. You must have a tall variety, there are short varieties where the vines only get about 3 ft or so.

As the OP said be patient grasshopper, when the peas come in you will have to pick them nearly every day.