Hi all,
First post here. I'm in Toronto, up in Canada, where we've had a very mild winter this year. Things are sprouting already (the garlic I planted last fall is poking out. Yay!) but it's been cooler and quite wet the past week, and will be again this week. (around 2-5c/35-40c during the day, below freezing at night, calling for rain until saturday).

I've read that peas should go in as soon as the soil can be worked (which is now), but that if the soil is too wet the seeds could rot before sprouting. Should I wait until we have a few sunny/warmer days in a row? or stick some in the ground and take my chances?
I'm planting in a raised bed that was well mulched over the winter. I built the garden last year, so peas didn't get in until late April. Hoping to have a much longer growing season this year.

Also, I'm planning on planting them relatively close to my garlic patch (6" away?) Is that enough, or should they be further? Don't want any roots interfering with my garlic.

Thanks for any advice!

Peg

Hi Peggy! Welcome to ATP!

>> Should I wait until we have a few sunny/warmer days in a row? or stick some in the ground and take my chances?

I'd suggest sowing around 1/4 or 1/3rd of your peas as early as you think they have a chance. Then, if weather stays colder or wetter than those peas like, you have time for a second and third sowing.

I had the same problem as you described: direct-sowing peas into wet, cold, wet (clay) soil gave me very few emerging pea sprouts. I think they rotted.

Usually for me, direct sowing LATER worked better, but I missed the coolest part of spring. Fortunately for me, our early summers are cold enough that peas don't mind the "heat".

One year, I tried covering the bed with plastic, sloped so rain would run off, for a few weeks before sowing. That might have helped germination a little.

Soaking the peas at least overnight before planting seemed to help - they germinated or almost germinated before going into the cold, wet ground and seemed to do better.

Or you could sow them very early into guttering under plastic, kept warmer and drier than the soil. Then push the peas and soil out of the guttering into a trench when the seedlings are several inches tall.

As long as the ground is not frozen, I would plant some. Raised beds usually have good drainage. Rot usually occurs when the soil remains soggy depriving the embyonic plant of air.

@pegleg84
I always plant sugar snap peas and snow peas very early, partly because it gets hot here in spring. This year I soaked sugar snap peas in water overnight, then sowed them, watered in well and covered with plastic. Germinated well and now I already have 8" plants climbing up their supports. Even though I'm zones ahead of you I used to live in Buffalo, which is same zone as you, and I would have planted peas by now if ground could be worked. Go for it!

Thanks, guys! Plans are to stick some in the ground on Saturday. The raised bed does seem to drain fairly well so probably won't need plastic. Should I cover with mulch, or leave the soil bare until it gets warmer/after sprouting?
Also, I added some compost to the bed back in the fall. Should I add anything (I use kelp meal/phosporus/carbonite/greensand) before planting, or just let them do their thing.
Will try soaking beforehand.

Thanks!

I covered with plastic to keep them moist because the sun and wind dry out top of soil even in spring. Also protected from squirrels etc.

Got out in the garden and started planting today! apx dozen sugar snap and lincoln shelling peas in the ground. Will wait until they sprout before planting more. Forgot to soak them, but the ground is good and damp (not wet) and we're expecting rain tonight followed by a few days of sun. Perfect.
My raised bed seems to have survived the winter quite well. Just took off the layer of mulch and tilled up the top few inches. Looks like all my garlic has sprouted, and the strawberry is coming back too.
Next up: beets and early greens in a couple weeks.

Welcome to ATP, Peggy. Spring planting is an act of faith and hope. It rarely disappoints.

pirl said:Welcome to ATP, Peggy. Spring planting is an act of faith and hope. It rarely disappoints.

Welcome to ATP

Peas usually do just sprout when they are ready. And the plants can take a fair amount of cold.