Pea ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’

* Common name: Pea ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’

* Botanical name: Pisum sativum ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’

* What it is: Peas are some of the cold-hardiest edibles, able to be direct-seeded in the garden as early as mid-March. You’ll find lots of good snow peas like this one (whole young pods are eaten as opposed shelling pea seeds out of plump pods), but ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’ is a good as any.

   This is an heirloom variety that’s crunchy, stringless (when picked young), disease-resistant, and a good yielder. Seeds of it are also readily available.

* Size: Vines grow four to five feet tall.

* Where to use: The vegetable garden or up any trellis in a sunny to lightly shaded area. Plants are fairly attractive with their white flowers and green pods until heat yellows and kills the vines in summer.

* Care: Plant seeds about a half-inch deep as soon as the soil thaws in very early spring. Mid-March through April is good timing since peas mature best before temperatures get too hot. Sow some every two weeks to spread out the harvest. A fall crop can be planted in early to mid-August.

   Peas grow best in loose, well drained soil with regular moisture. Avoid wet soil, which can rot the seeds. Grow vines up a trellis, fence, or even a thicket of branch prunings stuck in the ground. In-season fertilizer usually not needed.

   Harvest when the pods stop expanding in size but before the seeds inside start expanding. (That’s when the edible pods start becoming tough.) Pods are typically ready about 60 days after direct-seeding.

* Great partner: Plant around the base of pea vines with spinach, leaf lettuce, or similar salad greens, which also can be planted from seed in very early spring. Purple cabbage makes a good color and form contrast and is another very early edible.