Here are Magnolia Blossom, Opal Creek, Royal Snow and Shiraz from the garden this evening.

Looks yummy!

Looks yummy indeed, how do you find the Shiraz?

Whwoz wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 2:14 am Looks yummy indeed, how do you find the Shiraz?

They are really good. The color looks best either raw or only very lightly steamed or sautéed.

Grew Magnolia Blossom last summer. Very vigorous and productive. Lasted a long time even through the summer heat. Haven’t tried the other three but look intriguing as well as yummy!

Mmmmmmm! Nice, PJ. And "waaaaaaaaaahhhhhh" because it's still raining and I haven't been able to even plant peas yet because of it. And maybe won't be able to for another ten days.

GoDawgs wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 10:28 am Mmmmmmm! Nice, PJ. And "waaaaaaaaaahhhhhh" because it's still raining and I haven't been able to even plant peas yet because of it. And maybe won't be able to for another ten days.

Another 10 days? What a giant bummer!

They look great, mine never make it to the house

I'm currently growing Taichung Te II snow peas. They are supposed to be stringless, but if I let them get more than about 2 1/2" long they start getting stringy. I pull the strings but don't always get them all. I eat the pods anyway, but won't server them to guests. Eating pea pod strings isn't a gourmet delight.

The only other snow pea I've tried is Melting Sugar and had the same string experience with them. Still looking for a true stringless pea.

Bronx wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2020 10:28 am I'm currently growing Taichung Te II snow peas. They are supposed to be stringless, but if I let them get more than about 2 1/2" long they start getting stringy. I pull the strings but don't always get them all. I eat the pods anyway, but won't server them to guests. Eating pea pod strings isn't a gourmet delight.

The only other snow pea I've tried is Melting Sugar and had the same string experience with them. Still looking for a true stringless pea.

Shiraz doesn’t have strings that I’ve noticed, picked at snow pea stage, i.e. flat.
For me it’s not a super high producer but that’s forgiven because of the color.

Thanks PlainJane. I never heard of that variety so had to look them up. Wow, they're purple! I'm going to buy some for next fall's pea planting and see how they do here in SoCal.

As long as you grow them during the coolest part of the year!

Hi PlainJame. The Shiraz Pea looks good where did you get your seeds from? Thanks Mike

eyegrotom wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:05 am Hi PlainJame. The Shiraz Pea looks good where did you get your seeds from? Thanks Mike

Thanks!
From John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds.

I have some Shiraz planted too this year, which were sent to me from England, along with a bunch of very interesting heritage peas, but our wierd spring and summer prevented me from trying them all. We had snow on the ground very late, and then since the last week of May we've had several bouts of dog days summer weather - as hot as it gets.
In spite of that only one pea has failed me - Avalanche, the one I bought! It hasn't come up (or just a few scrawnies) even though it was sprouted and looking alive with all the rest.
Same scene at my Mom's place as well, the others came up fine (including Shiraz) but not the Avalanche.
Now it is presently very hot again (for us, that means highs 24-26 C and humidex in the 30's) and I think I will have to plant something other than peas in the last bed waiting for occupants. I'm afraid to plant because (1) they may fail as we go into July the month when that hottest weather is normal and (2) the season might be too short now for them to produce before it's over.
[mention]PlainJane[/mention], what are your thoughts about peas and temperatures? You know it much better than I do!

[mention]Bower[/mention], I’ve been growing snow and snap peas for only about 6 years in Florida; before that my garden was in Massachusetts. I find snap peas slightly More heat tolerant than snow peas. Both do fine for me all winter until April or so, then the pods start to curl and shrink in size and the foliage starts to crisp. I’ve tried shading the roots with nasturtiums and that helps a bit. Shiraz isn’t super prolific for me but I love the look and taste.
When’s your first frost? October?

We sometimes get a frost in September but the usual end of season is around the end of October.
I plant the garlic around mid October though, so I like to have the rotation crops out by the end of September latest.
Also the moose regularly come here in early October, and will sample anything that I have left in the garden, including peas!
Realistically, I only have from now until say mid September to produce a crop.
July is generally the hottest month, and cooler but pleasant in August and September. So the peas will have to put up with the heat for their early growth... great idea to shade the roots with nasturtiums! I'll see if I have something I can squeeze in there between the peas and carrots (which are tiny just getting true leaves).

PJ, do you support your snap peas? The one time I tried them five years ago it was a short variety (Sugar Sprint, I think) that supposedly needed no support. Well, a storm with wind came through and blew them all over and they just had to stay there. Trying to pick them while all tangled up was an absolute mess. That was the last time I grew them but the thought to try again is coming back.

[mention]GoDawgs[/mention] , yes I support them. I use the bamboo pole supports and the metal teuter that house beans in the summer. I’ve also been known to use my Texas Tomato cages, lol.

Gardadore wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 5:42 am Grew Magnolia Blossom last summer. Very vigorous and productive. Lasted a long time even through the summer heat. Haven’t tried the other three but look intriguing as well as yummy!

Grew it this year and had the same experience I picked snow peas all summer long from it. Only our snow and freezes finally killed it.