More about Peas

I read a short article in organic gardening magazine the other day (april 2008 issue) about helping your peas grow better and faster.
It is very interesting and so I decided to type it verbatim here for those that don't get the magazine:

Stronger Seedlings: Peas get a boost from vitamin C!

Vitamin C and folic acid, two nutrients that are vital to our own health, boost the performance of pea seeds, according to a recent study at the University of Massachusetts. The researchers doctored pea seeds with different concentrations of vitamin C and folic acid. Ten days after planting, average seedling height of seeds soaked for 12 to 48 hours in either a vitamin C solution or a folic acid solution was 40 percent greater than that of the seeds soaked in plain water. Root length, seedling weight, and germination were also enhanced by both treatments. Food-science professor Kalidas Shetty, Ph.D., is now developing a natural treatment to boost seeds' defenses.
Our advice: Try this at home--dissolve half of a 150 milligram vitamin C tablet, or four 5 milligram folic acid tablet, in a quart of water. Soak your peas for a day or so; then plant.


I haven't done this myself but will attempt to remember to try it the next time I plant my peas.

This just goes to show you that "proper" vitamins (and minerals too) help everything :-)


P.S ---photo "borrowed" from Renee's garden site.