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Vegetable Gardening

When to plant English peas in SF bay area

11 years ago

I'd like to start a tiny garden with my grand baby, and I figure by next spring she'll be old enough to plant peas and eat them. She lives in the East bay in zone 9b. A site on the subject of when to plant in 9b said January -March. Is mid March good or too late? I should plan my visits around good planting times :)

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Comments (6)

chas045
11 years ago
I lived tin the west bay for my first 60 years but didn't often do peas. I think March is late for the best crop. Since it doesn't freeze much, if any, there, it should be easy to get peas going in Feb. If March is a better visiting time, you should still be ok.
elisa_z5
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, chas! I figure a ca zone 9 is different from a south eastern zone 9, because it stays so cool and rainy for a while.
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chas045
11 years ago
Yes elisa, you should probably go to the California forum if you want better info. I have misplaced my bay area planting date guide. In addition, there are several sub regions out there delineated by Sunset Mag. that Everyone out there uses. Much of the east bay is in Sunset zone 16 unless they are over the hills in which case the conditions could be dramatically different. They are very precise and variable.
oliveoyl3
11 years ago
You might want to presprout the peas to prevent that 1st planting rotting in cold wet soil. It's also fun for kids (& adults) to see that little white shoot emerge.

I do it in a dishcloth or a scrap of old tshirt.

Here is a link that might be useful: presprout peas
nanelle_gw (usda 9/Sunset 14)
11 years ago
I am in Sunset 14, Solano County. I do sugar snap peas ( similar, but less work) in November, then again in February. You should check out Golden Gate Gardening, by Pam Pierce, and Gardener's Table by Merill and Ortiz, I believe all N. Cal. Gardener's

Here is a link that might be useful: Golden Gate Gardening
elisa_z5
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks so much, everyone -- these are wonderful suggestions and ideas!

Elisa

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