PEAS

			Maples Round, dark mottled brown seeded peas favoured by pigeon fanciers. Minerva maple is the benchmark for quality but is a fully leaved and indeterminate type. Other maple type peas on the Recommended list are Rose and Mantara, these are generally larger seeded and are grown as forage crops.

Pea agronomy

Soil type. Suited to most soil types but avoid light land. Soils should be well aerated to allow nitrogen fixing bacteria to function.

Sow late February to late March, at 5cm depth into a well prepared seed bed.

Sowing rate Approx. 250kg / Hectare (100g/acre) followed, if conditions allow by light rolling.

Weed control: a range of pre and post emergence chemicals are available.

Pest control.

Pea and Bean weevil control advised in adverse conditions.

Pea Moth attacks the crop at flowering, control by spraying according to PGRO warnings. May be monitored using pheromone traps. Control is essential if premiums for human consumption premiums are to be achieved.

Aphid may infest after flowering.

Downy mildew best controlled with suitable seed treatments for susceptible varieties

Harvest late July onwards. Avoid cutting below 16% MC to avoid damage to seed.

For more information contact PGRO.org

Ellingham Grain has been cleaning and packing peas of all types for many years.

We offer all the main types produced in the UK

Large Blue peas,

(often exported as UK Green Peas.) Round seeded with a blue green seed coat. Used for both human consumption and for pigeon food. Varieties include NIAB Recommended Prophet, Crackerjack, Daytona , Bluestar and Daytona, all producing suitable quality for these purposes. Some samples of smaller diameter can be used as small blues eg Hawaii and Zero 4 which may be suitable for canning. Samples should be tested for soaking and starch breakdown.

White/Yellow

Round seeded with colourless seedcoats. Used for splitting and or soaking in soups etc. Also used for pigeon feed. In recent years the acreage of this type has decreased due to the higher yields and bigger premiums achieved by large blues. However newer varieties are now out-yielding blue types and premiums are increasing due to lack of availability. Varieties include: Mascara, Gregor, Ragtime, Kenzo and Salamanca - all are Niab recommended.

Marrowfats

Large dimple seeded peas with green seed coats. Traditionally used for human consumption in the UK as mushy peas and in Japan and the Far-East they are roasted and eaten as bar snacks. Good samples can command very high premiums. Varieties are lower-yielding than other types and are more susceptible to disease (downy mildew). Maro remains the standard variety but newer semi- leafless types have now been bred with similar cooking qualities. NIAB Recommended varieties include: Maro, Sakura, Starda, Genki,Falstaff, Kahuna and Neon (provisionally). Growers should check with end users which variety to grow as some varieties are may not be fully accepted.