I spent the first glorious warm day of March planting out seeds for the first of the spring garden crops. Every season has its rite-of-passage and nothing signals the birth of spring for this gardener like plunking in the faded pearls of pea seeds. A sweet return to dark crumbly soil and fresh spring air filling my lungs as I squat beside the opened trench with fingers itching to plant is…bliss!
The preparation for sowing peas is simple and if you’ve not used a soil inoculant before the following may be helpful. Bean and pea inoculant is defined as “rhizobacteria that live within specialized nodules on the roots of legumes where they process atmospheric nitrogen into a form readily used by plants.” Simply put, inoculant is a beneficial bacteria that uses nitrogen from the air to benefit plants and soil via the roots of beans and peas. In addition to the benefit of improved soil, the yields of crops treated with the inoculant are also increased. Inoculant is available in garden shops near the seed displays.
To prepare peas for planting:
Place the pea seeds in a bowl and cover with warm water. Let soak for 30 min.
Drain off the water and add 1/8 tsp. of inoculant for every two packets of seeds. There are four packets of seeds in the picture.
Using an old (or disposable) spoon etc., stir the inoculant to coat each pea seed. That’s all there is to it! Now the seeds are ready for planting.
Outside, open a trench in the soil about 16″ wide and 3″ deep. Wearing gloves, scatter the seeds across the bottom of the furrow and cover with soil. Tamp down the soil lightly and cover with bits of brush to prevent heavy spring rains from washing the seeds away and to keep squirrels and other critters from digging them up. No fertilizers are necessary for growing peas and use of them may promote green growth at the expense of blossoms.
Inoculant is used the same way to treat bean and lupine seeds. Inoculant should be used up the year it is purchased as it can’t be stored long term. Once used in a bed, the inoculant’s bacteria will continue to multiply making repeat applications unnecessary. Treat only beans and peas that are planted in new beds or areas of the garden the following season. Easy to grow and sweet like sugar…go on give peas a chance!
Lisa, Have you compared results of planting the seeds with and without the inoculant? I’ve never used inoculants on peas or beans and have had beans (especially) aplenty, so I’d be interested in knowing the expected yield increase of the extra step.
I have done comparisons of both beans and peas in the same season both with and without the inoculant. The yields are greater: the blossoms more plentiful and the harvest is longer for both beans and peas. In my garden journal I noted a 60% yield increase using the inoculant.
I didn’t realize it was time to plant these!! Thanks for the great information and the step by step instructions!!
Hi! You’re most welcome, thanks for reading!
I’m going to try this this year.
Thanks for the info and the great pictures!
~Annica
My pleasure Annica, and as always THANK YOU for reading!
I ordered some native perennial seeds and they arrived with a pack of inoculant included with the seeds. I’d never seen that before. Had to come read your blog to figure out what I was supposed to do with it! Also I’ve noticed some retailers of natives mention that their seeds are pre-treated with it so I figure that it must be an important step.