Monthly Tip

An old American tradition says that planting peas on St. Patrick’s Day will bring good luck at harvest time. But the best planting date actually depends on the climate where you live. Planting on St. Patrick’s Day in the northeast may lead to a second planting weeks later when frost gets the first batch. Yet in warmer climates like ours, we can plant weeks earlier and may even be eating peas from the garden on St. Patrick’s Day. (We can also plant them here in the fall.) You may want to soak the seeds overnight to help get them ready to germinate. They can be planted directly in the ground, about half an inch deep. Keep the seeds evenly moist until they start to sprout. Provide a trellis or some kind of support for the vertical vines if you are growing pole peas; bush peas can stand on their own.