Saving Seeds: Garden Peas

Most species of peas are gown for the edible sweet peas and edible pods.  Peas come to us from the Eastern Mediterranean.  Sweet varieties are used as vegetables and the starchy varieties are grown for fodder or dry use.  There are also varieties with edible pods and tender shoots which are edible also. Sweet peas have green or white seeds, white flowers, and wrinkly seed coats.  The starchy varieties have smooth seeds, violet flowers.  These are frequently grown for forage, cover crops, and silage.

Peas are great for beginning seed saving.  The flowers are perfect meaning they have both male and female parts and they are self pollinated.  It's believed the flowers are pollinated before opening so crossing is very minimal and isolation for the home gardener not required.  

Peas are in the legume or Fabaceae family. They belong to the genus Pisum and the species sativum.  P. Sativum or garden peas do not cross with any other species of peas or beans. (Seed to Seed, Suzanne Ashworth)

Seed Production and Harvesting

Peas mature in early summer. To enjoy continued production harvest frequently.  This encourages new flower and pod production.  

When you are ready to save seeds just quit harvesting and allow the pods to dry completely on the vine. Pods mature from the bottom up on the vine.  There are two stages the pods go through when developing. They first elongate and and widen.  In the second stage the peas fatten and mature. Do not pick before the pods are completely dried. With completely dry pods, you can hear the seeds shake inside. (The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds, Robert Gough and Cheryl Moore-Gough) 

I finally broke down puchased pea fences.  They are great.

Seed Cleaning

Pick completely dried pods and store in a warm, dry place.  After 1-2 weeks shell peas from pods by hand.  You can fail them if you have a large quantity. Do this by placing pods in a burlap bag or pillow case and gently flail against a hard surface.  

Tips on Growing Peas

Begin you seed saving journey with your favorite heirloom garden pea.

Tall Telephone peas are a climber reaching 4-5'  and are an heirloom dating back to 1881.