Little Marvel Garden Pea

Seed Count: Approx. 20 Seeds

Days to Maturity: 65 Days

Description: The Little Marvel Garden Pea is an excellent choice for home gardens because of its high productivity and delicious sweet flavor.  This semi-dwarf shelling pea has a compact growing nature, growing to about 30 inches tall, so its perfect for small gardens and doesn't require staking. It produces lots of 3 inch, bright green pods that contain 6-9 luscious, sugary, sweet peas that even stay tender when ripe.  It's great for freezing, canning, and adding to just about anything, but if you're anything like me, they never even make it into the house.

How To Grow

Sowing:  Because peas thrive in cool weather and do not transplant well, they should be planted outside 4-6 weeks before the last frost or when the average soil temperature reaches at least 40 degrees F.  If planting later, remember that most peas won't tolerate weather above 75 degrees F.  Plant seeds 2 inches apart and 2 inches deep, in light soil and full sun.  They also make for a great fall crop in places with mild temperatures.  Peas make great companion plants, but they do not do well when planted near onions or garlic.

Growing:  Before they bloom, pea plants need to be kept moist but not wet; after blooming, you should slightly increase their watering.  Remove weeds carefully to avoid disturbing the plants; mulch may be helpful to conserve moisture and control weeds.  This pea is compact and doesn't require support.

Harvesting:  Snap peas taste best when harvested as soon as they reach their mature length, but before the peas inside have fully developed.  Check the pods often for the best results.  Shelled peas generally taste best when harvested as soon as the pods have filled out, but before they reach their full size. Remove even the pods that have passed their prime, since old pods left on the vines will stop the production of new pods.  To save seeds from peas, let the pods mature fully on the vine; they will turn brown, and the peas should rattle inside when they have fully dried. If wet conditions threaten, pull the entire plant and hang it upside down in a warm, dry location to finish drying. Shell the peas after 1-2 weeks of drying, and store the seed in a cool, dry place for up to three years.