Growing peas just for shoots is a quick way to grow fresh veg & it can be done inside.
Pea shoots are the leaves & stem from the top 2 to 6 inches of a younger pea plant, & include two to four pairs of leaves and immature tendrils. They sometimes have small flower buds amongst them.
Two or three cuts of shoots are taken from each batch of seeds.
peashoots in pot
How To Grow Pea Shoots:
1. plant in early spring or late summer as peas grow best in cool weather. Young pea plants can withstand a little frost, though frost may damage the flowers and pods. As a winter crop, peas tolerate temperatures down to 28°F (-2°C) in the seedling stage, but top growth may be damaged when the temperature falls below freezing.
2. choose varieties suited for this such as:
- Oregon Sugar Pod
- Sugar Snap: Cascadia
- OR…buy some dried peas in the supermarket & try those – very cheap alternative!!
3. plant:
- 1 inch deep
- 2 – 4 inches between peas (much closer than if growing for actual peas)
- in compost or crumbly soil
- water to dampen soil
- leave in warm spot – windowsill, or outside under cloche
4. clip off the growing points plus one pair of leaves to encourage branching, when plants are 6 to 8 inches tall. These clippings are the first pea shoot harvest.
5. every three to four weeks – clip the top 2 to 6 inches of each plant.
6. keep harvesting until shoots taste bitter, late in the growing season. Three cuts per batch of seed is average.
7. wash and spin dry harvested pea shoots as you would lettuce.
The picture below shows a peashoot attached to the seed pea. Below the pea is the long taproot.
pea shoot
Use pea shoots:
- in salads
- as a garnish
- lightly steamed and eat as a hot vegetable
Pea-shoots are a good source of vitamin K, C and are especially high in vitamin A.
Growing pea shoots inside is an easy way to produce fresh vegetables full of vitamins