No. 6
PEAS
Pisum sativum
Family: Leguminosae
Pea seed saving guidelines also available as a PDF document (194Kb)
There are three groups of peas. Smooth-seeded peas are starchier and hardier than wrinkled-seeded peas; edible-podded peas are more commonly known as sugar peas or mangetouts. Most peas today are eaten fresh, but some are grown for drying.
Pea flowers are perfect and self-pollinating. The flowers open early in the morning and do not shut. The anthers shed pollen the night before the flower opens, but this does not reach the stigma until the flower is tripped, usually by the wind.
Growing and Roguing
Pea pods drying
- Peas being grown for seed should be grown as you would for an edible crop. However, you should make sure the growing season is as long as possible to allow the pods to mature and dry.
- As peas are inbreeders (that is, they self-pollinate), you can save seed from just a few plants — it is better, though, if you grow as many plants as possible (preferably around ten).
- Some plants may produce noticeably different foliage or pods from the majority of the plants; you should not save seed from these atypical ones.
- Like French and runner beans, the characteristics of the pea seed — its size, shape, colour and markings — should be more or less uniform and the same from generation to generation. There will be no visible signs of crossing until the second generation, so go back to the seeds saved from two harvests previously for seed that should be pure if you notice changes in characteristics.
Pollination and Isolation
Peas are generally self-pollinating and the likelihood of cross pollination is low. However, insects do visit pea flowers and can cause crossing.
Commercial seed growers recommend a minimum separation of 20m, which is not always practical for the home seed saver but try to leave as great a distance as possible. Crossing can be very difficult to detect as peas look so similar.
Harvesting
Peas mature very quickly and can be left on the vine to dry. If there is a risk of frost to a crop that is almost mature, lift the entire plants and hang them inside somewhere warm and dry until the pods are completely dried out.
Cleaning
Cleaning refers to the removal of chaff and debris, leaving only seed. Cleaned seed keeps better.
It is best (if not dealing with large quantities) to pod peas by hand. However, larger quantities can be threshed or winnowed. Threshing can be done by putting the pods into a pillowcase or sack or inside a plastic dustbin and shaking vigorously. Seeds threshed this way will need additional cleaning by winnowing.
Winnowing is best done outside in a stiff breeze. Pour the peas steadily from one container to another, allowing the wind to blow the chaff away. Repeat until the chaff is gone and you are left with only seed. Do this over a tarpaulin, in case a sudden gust upsets the container and spills the seed.
Storage
Pea moth larvae
If necessary, set the pea seeds out to dry further and remove any that are damaged or discoloured. You may notice small holes in some of the seed with a powdery deposit round them. This is a sign of pea moth, which lay their eggs on pea flowers. The caterpillars then eat their way out of the pods, often eating a few of the pea seeds in the process.
If you notice signs of pea moth in harvested peas, you should pod them immediately or they will continue being eaten. To avoid this pest plant early, aiming to avoid having peas in flower June/July as this is when pea moths are at their most active.
Store in a cool, dry place. Pea seeds should last in storage for at least three years.
Returning Seed to HSL
It is important that seed returned to HSL is not cross-pollinated. Do not send us seed that you suspect might have crossed.
Seed must be completely dry and fully cleaned. Seed that retains moisture can go mouldy in transit and will have to be discarded. It can take a few days to get to us in the post. Pack it in breathable material (e.g. a paper envelope or cotton bag) and place it in a padded envelope or stout box to protect the delicate seed from impact damage, before sending it in the post.
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