Peas

It seemed like a good idea at the time. A small window of mild weather appeared in early February after weeks of rain, snow, ice, fog, sleet, and rain rain rain. What gardener could resist the temptation to plant peas?

The appropriate pea planting marker in this corner of the PNW is President’s Day, but weather trumps the calendar and I knew the dry period would only last a couple of days. I decided to hedge my bets this year by trying something new. I presprouted the seeds by soaking for a few hours then layering in damp paper towels for a couple of days until most seed had germinated. My hope was to forestall the inevitable low germination that occurs in cold wet spring weather.

This is how I found myself in the deserted community garden planting my sprouted seeds under a rapidly darkening sky. A strong cold wind was bringing an even colder storm. But presprouted seeds wouldn't wait for better conditions. The temperature dipped into the teens that night. Dry icy snow fell the next night. Cold high pressure followed. Night temperatures remained 10 to 15 degrees colder than normal. The only consolation was a short string of sunny days. My feeble hope was that the slowly strengthening rays would warm the soil enough to sustain some residual heat through the night.

Waiting for sprouts to emerge was the only option. And wait. And wait.

I finally abandoned my vision of a bumper crop of peas, enough to eat my fill and freeze the rest for a small burst of spring in the next winter. The peas had surely rotted in the cold waterlogged soil.

But now, 30+ days after planting, the peas have started to emerge, showing not the slightest weakness from the ordeal. The germination is less than 100% but high enough to entertain images of tender shell peas, sugar snaps in salads and snow peas braised with golden raisins. Let the 2006 gardening exravaganza begin!

(My new community garden plot allows for planting more peas this year.The 2006 selections are Coral and Northfield shell peas, Sugarsnap, and Dwarf Grey Sugar, an heirloom snow pea).