Have you read “The Princess and the Pea” written by Hans Christian Anderson? If so, you know from the story only a princess would be so sensitive as to feel a pea under twenty mattresses and twenty eider-down beds.

A pea was used to determine if the young lady who claimed to be a princess was actually so. Most likely the princess was tested against an early heirloom pea that was cultivated for dry seed, much smaller than today's modern garden varieties.

Throughout time humans have enjoyed peas. Primitive garden peas have been found in excavations dating back to the Stone Age and to ancient Troy. They were grown for cereals, porridge, and eventually became a delicacy of the aristocracy. In 1696 Madame de Maintenon described the pleasures of peas, “the subject of peas, continues to absorb all others, the anxiety to eat them, and the desire to eat them again, are the three great matters which have been discussed by our Princes for four days past…It is a fashion and madness.”

It wasn't until the 18^th Century that commoners like you and me were allowed to enjoy luscious, green peas.

One of my favorite vegetables included in cool-season crops is the garden pea. This is how I approach the art of growing and savoring peas.

Like other cool season vegetables, peas prefer cooler soil temperatures to germinate, and they sweeten best in cooler air temperatures. Peas can tolerate frost and are actually less sensitive to freezing in spring.

A proper planting of peas begins in a sunny location with well-drained soil that has a pH of 5.8 to 7 which is common in Bishop but can be challenging for some of our outlying areas. The soil should be workable, tilled to about 8 inches. Avoid soggy compacted soil as this may be a sign to wait longer to sow seeds. Fertility needs for peas are low and excess nitrogen will only encourage more foliage and fewer blossoms.

It is a gamble to predict exactly when to plant peas in our variable climate. This year February is bringing dry weather with cold to freezing night time temperatures. I seeded one small crop of peas on January 11 when the soil was workable. I will sow another crop this February, and most likely, another in March with hopes that all or some will provide a harvest.

If you plant peas each year, it is a good idea to rotate locations in the garden. Peas and other legumes grow in a symbiotic relationship with soil dwelling bacteria, enhancing soil fertility by a nitrogen fixation process. This basically means last year's pea garden site will be a great spot to plant something else. Proof this occurs is in the nitrogen-containing nodules found attached to the roots once the harvest is over.

Germination occurs in soil temperatures as low as 40 degrees to approximately 60 degrees. Naturally germination on the low end will be slower. Days to maturity vary from 58 days to 70 days, and as I mentioned before, I will have three plantings, which include at least three varieties of peas.

I typically plant along a five-foot-tall trellis a couple of the taller varieties. This year will include British Wonder, Sugar Daddy, Burpeeana Early, and whatever else I find. If you're short on space the smaller bush varieties are just as tasty, and they don't need trellising.

Birds and squirrels love pea sprouts so beware! Netting or row cover helps prevent their pesky snacking. One spring I forgot that I wasn't the only princess who favored peas, in just one day a whole bed of sprouts were cleaned off.

The sweet flavor of peas is best if they are consumed soon after harvest.

A few years ago a friend presented me with a lovely bouquet of pea tendrils, I was hesitant but found they added a delightful crunchy sweetness to tossed salads. Needless to say, I now plant extra peas just for the tendrils. I've read that the Sugar Magnolia variety produces tall, eight foot plants and clusters of messy tendrils.

In 2020 we commoners are privileged to plant and savor fresh peas as we choose. I promise nothing you buy at the market will compare with home-grown!

Resources:

• http://sacmg.ucanr.edu/Monthly_Vegetable_Gardening_Tips/
• https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/cool_vegetables_for_you_to_grow_this_spring
• https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/how_to_grow_peas
• https://underwoodgardens.com/the-history-of-heirloom-peas/

Recently gardeners have become more aware of the importance of gardening sustainably, but while they might enthusiastically nurture worm bins under the kitchen sink, learn about the benefits of mulching, measure their greens and browns carefully when creating their compost piles and shy away from using peat moss, often scant attention is paid to other aspects of caring for our soils and the planet.

About to plant some seeds indoors I went to my stash of cell packs, carefully saved from previous plant purchases, only to find that they had been subjected to a blast of desert sun and had all partially melted. They were so distorted that I could not re-use them, and since that particular plastic is not recyclable in our area they ended up in the landfill. When I finally got my seeds planted and watered, I then discovered that the plastic seed tray leaked from a split in one corner.

Large sheets of plastic that I had used to solarize some newly landscaped plots were completely rotted by the ultra violet light disintegrating into messy shreds, and what does one do with drip irrigation tubing with clogged emitters? Although I can perhaps find a use for a few feet of it, the rest has to go to the dump. And then of course I will have to buy more in order to grow my vegetables.

As I tidy my garden ready for spring I find pieces of old green plastic ties (they always seem so much kinder to soft stemmed tomatoes than string), a plastic watering can displaying torn holes in the top, an empty plastic sack that held commercial compost, and an old plastic tarp that had at one time covered my compost heap but which now has more holes than threads per square inch. There is insect netting that had disintegrated in the sun after just two years use, some white plastic storage buckets that likewise fell apart and numerous plant labels, their alluring colored pictures still visible – epitaphs for treasures now in plant heaven. And so it goes on.

We are constantly being exhorted that as modern scientific gardeners we should get away from the temptation of gardening like our grandparents. However, my grandfather had no plastic products that I can remember and yet had a model market garden with prodigious amounts of beautiful quality fruits and vegetables of all sorts.

My grandfather's seed trays were made from thin wood, and instead of plastic shade cloth he used wooden lathe, his raised beds were built of concrete blocks and were covered with large, glass Dutch lights in a wooden frame. Hoses were made of rubber, watering cans, pails and spraying devices were galvanized metal, and plant pots including enormous rhubarb forcing pots were terracotta. He had only one arm so his main method of transport was a pony and cart. The rotted stable manure mulched and fed anything that grew. The garden was bordered by a thick hawthorn and blackthorn hedge which provided numerous nesting sites for insect eating birds which acted as the main form of pest control. I think that he could have taught modern horticulturists a thing or two about sustainability.

I do appreciate the lightness of plastic as opposed to metal, but I think that with some thought and planning I should be able to reduce my use of plastic in the garden quite significantly.

Are you ready to join me?

I've noticed as I get older my Christmas wish list gets less interesting and more practical. I have to work harder now to think of fun stuff. Instead I end up with great ideas like silverware. I know I'm not alone.

So what do you get that special someone who insists on a practical gift?

As I was looking for ideas for my wife—a poster child for gifts practical and boring—I discovered that many people give pillows as Christmas gifts. At first I thought that was weird, but then I remembered that last year she gave me a fancy, hypoallergenic, contouring pillow. It's very comfy. Maybe I should return the favor?

This ultimately led me down the Google Search Rabbit Hole where I soon encountered dire warnings about dust mites.

Dermatophagoides farinae. Photo by G.W. Wharton.

As a county agent in Arkansas, I encountered dust mite complaints a few times a year. Most of the time it was a case of delusory parasitosis, but sometimes it appeared to be a legitimate complaint, especially in wet years when conditions for their growth were favorable.

House dust mites are microscopic mites that feed on dead skin. They may be allergenic or asthma-inducers to some individuals. There is a large amount of scary information about them, but the truth is most people will have little to worry about from house dust mites.

House dust mites thrive in warm, high-humidity environments. Judging from the condition of my skin right now, I'd say that I am located in the polar opposite of a high-humidity environment. Locations that experience seasonal dry spells with low humidity (think: Eastern California) have a hard time maintaining large populations of house dust mites. These mites prefer climates like the Southeast US where the air feels more liquid than gaseous. In California, they are most commonly found along the coast.

In most of the western US, you probably have little to worry about. You would do better focusing on earthquake preparedness instead of these microscopic detritivores. (Google that instead of dust mites if you're bored. It's much more helpful.)

If you are still concerned about house dust mites—because who isn't after reading about them?—there are a few easy measures that will control or avoid the problem with things you already have. Reducing inside humidity below 50% will help. Heaters and air conditioners* both lower relative humidity. Pick whichever seems appropriate.

Frequent vacuuming of suspect furniture, rugs, and fabrics will reduce mite populations by reducing food sources. This is especially helpful for pet owners. Mattresses and pillows can be encased in protective covers if you are one to err on the safe side and have extra money to spend; however, many pillows (or their cases) can be washed. Mattresses can be vacuumed, too. Mites or not, this is just a good way to keep things clean.

You do not need to use any fancy, hi-tech control gimmicks or pesticides you may find on the internet.

All this to say: if you want to get your spouse a new pillow this holiday season, get one based on comfort and be wary of diving too deeply into pointless online searches like I did. 

Or you could just play it safe and get some new silverware. Just don't forget to wash it before using.

* Not swamp/evaporative coolers, but you wouldn't be using those in a humid environment  anyway.

For more information on house dust mites, consider clicking on these exciting links:

• UC Davis Bohart Museum of Entomology's Fact Sheet
• University of Florida Fact Sheet