Garden peas are a cold-season crop with traditional planting in mid-March (St. Patrick’s Day) as soon as the soil can be worked.

Typically, spring crops are sown in April, while fall crops can be planted in August.

Before working the soil, you need to determine if it is workable.

Working soil while it is wet can destroy soil structure.

To determine if soil is workable, take a handful and press it tightly.

The soil should crumble readily when released.

If it forms a compact, sticky or muddy mass, the soil is too wet to be worked.

Add fertilizer and lime as directed by soil test results.

If you do not test the soil, apply one to two inches of compost, add one-and-one-half pounds of 5-10-5 or equivalent fertilizer per 100 square feet, and work into the soil.

It is better to band the fertilizer at two inches to the side and three inches below the seed.

Do not apply excessive nitrogen.

Direct-sow seeds one to two inches deep in well-drained soil.

Space rows three feet apart with seeds two to three inches apart in the row.

Although cool-season vegetables, peas germinate well, but slowly, at soil temperatures below 50 degrees.

Plants can tolerate moderate freezes.

Weed management is important.

Dense weeds rob crops of moisture, light, and nutrients, and can harbor insects and create an ideal environment for diseases to develop.

Eliminate young seedlings with shallow hoeing or cultivating.

Never let weeds become too big.

Always pull or mow weeds before seeds form.

Place mulch such as straw around plants and between rows to reduce weeds and conserve moisture.

Perennial weeds near and in the planting provide a site for diseases to overwinter and should be removed whenever possible.

As a rule, avoid using herbicides for weed management in your home garden.

Types of peas: Shelling peas, sugar snap peas, and snow peas are the results of breeding for specific characteristics.

Shelling peas, also know as English peas or garden peas, are removed from the pod before eating.

To remove the peas, gently pull the string beginning at the stem end.

The pod will open, revealing the peas inside.

Shell pea pods range in length from three to four inches and are round and firm.

Snow peas may be eaten with or without the string.

These peas are harvested when young while the pod is still tender and from two to three inches long with pods and peas that are flat.

Snap peas are also referred to as sugar snap peas.

Ideally, sugar snaps should be eaten raw, pod and all.

The ideal sugar snap pea will be crispy and sweet.

For plants requiring support, stakes should be placed in the soil, about three inches from the seed at the time of planting.

Inserting the support while the plants are actively growing may damage the roots.

In addition to providing support for the developing plants, the resulting vertical growth will help to increase the airflow around the plants.

Increased airflow may help reduce the incidence of disease and/or insect damage.

Lehigh Valley Flower Show: Penn State Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your gardening questions at the Lehigh Valley Flower, Home & Garden Show, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. March 13 and 14, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 15, Agri-Plex, Allentown Fairgrounds, 302 N. 17 St., Allentown.

“Growing Green” is contributed by Diane Dorn, Lehigh County Extension Office Staff, and Master Gardeners. Information: Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-813-6613