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Re: Tall peas

Meconella wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 5/1/98 10:28:56 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> Rebecca.Neason@foxinternet.net writes:
> 
> <<  I save about a liter of each of the three varieties I
>  raise, for seed.  >>
> 
> Hi Steve,
> 
> You say you save some peas for seed.  If you grow several varieties,  do they
> self pollinate so the seed breeds true?  How do you dry the seed?  On the
> vine?  Or will very mature but not yet dry pods yeild viable seed?  I am
> interested in saving some pea seeds as well from vines I currently have
> growing.
> 
> Thanks for any info.   Janet.


I grow the plants from which I take seed in adjacent rows and have never
seen any tendency to deviate from the parent plant.  I have also never
seen an insect pollinator on pea flowers, and I am pretty observant of
that sort of thing. Doesn't mean it never happens though!

I leave the vines in the ground until the pods are very full and a
little leathery, indicating that they are beginning to lose moisture. 
Then I pull up the vines and pile them in the corener of the garden. 
(It helps to have a huge garden with lots of fallow space.)  

When the pods have "dried to a rattle" I pull them.  Then I put them in
a plastic bucket and pound them hard enough just to break up the pods
and free the seed.  (A short piece of 2x4 works well.)  The seed can
then be shaken to the bottom of the bucket and the (mostly) empty pods
removed to the compost.  The seed can be further cleaned by pouring
slowly from one container to another in front of a fan.  

I don't know at what point the seeds become viable.  I usually wait as
long as possible before pulling the vines.

BTW, my pea crop went in three weeks late this year but looks very good
due to recent warm weather in Pac NW.

Steve  (Maritime...)
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