Pea Progress

On the first day of spring I have made it a tradition to plant peas in the garden.  This year I planted them where my tomatoes grew last year so I could make use of the trellis without having to move it.  It was still fairly chilly in the few weeks after spring, so I kept the newly planted bed protected under a hoop house, which also helped to keep the leaf mulch from blowing away in the gusty spring winds.  It only took them a couple of weeks to come up even though it was chilly, but once they were up I don't think there was any stopping them.  Peas are hardy little plants and a couple cold nights didn't even phase them.  They are now at a point where they are putting out little tendrils to grab on to the trellis and when the weather gets a little warmer, they should really take off.  I am hoping that I will have some to harvest in just a few more weeks.

Spring peas are one of my favorite crops if only because they are one of the first harvests of the season.  I always get excited when it's time to plant them because it means that winter is officially over and the gardening season has begun.