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How To Grow Peas & Beans In Canada
As a Canadian gardener that is just starting out you are probably wondering how to grow peas & beans in Canada. Whether you are located in Ontario, Alberta, the Maritimes or anywhere in between this is your ultimate guide on how to grow peas & beans in Canada.
If you are new to this blog hello my name is Ashley and I am a soil scientist located in Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada. I have been gardening for over ten years and have plenty of tips and tricks to get you through the growing season. If you want a blog post on a specific crop be sure to let me know in the comments below.
When To Plant Your Peas & Beans Outside In Canada
The first step to growing peas & beans is knowing when your last frost free date is. For many of us Canadian gardeners this would be the May long weekend. You will want to plant your peas & beans anywhere from two weeks before or after the last frost date.
What Types Of Peas & Beans Should You Plant In Canada?
When selecting a pea variety you can go with whichever type you desire. The reason for this is because the growing season for peas across the board works for a short Canadian garden climate. However, when growing beans you will want to look at the package and make sure the days to harvest are less than 60 days. If the days to harvest is over 60 days you will want to start the plants indoors. For more on how to read seed packets check out the video below.
Bush Beans Vs. Pole Beans
The other thing to look for on the bean packets is the growth habit of the plant. A bush bean growing format is a bunching or mounding habit. This means you do not need to trellis the plant and you can simply allow them to grow in place. If they are a pole bean the growth habit will need to be trellised to allow for proper growth and higher yields. Check out this post for more details on Bush Beans Vs. Poles Beans.
Using Bean & Pea Innoculent
After you have selected your varieties & determined your planting date you will want to grab some inoculant. Rhizobium inoculant will drastically increase your yields by increasing the available nitrogen in the soil. Rhizobium bacteria form symbiotic nodules with the pea and bean roots that help fix nitrogen from the air. If you use this additive make sure not to fertilize your peas & beans, let the plant do all the work on its own.
How Often Should You Water Peas and Beans
Throughout the season you will want to make sure you water regularly. It’s important you do not allow the soil to dry out because peas and beans are sensitive to water restrictions. Once the plant begins to flower you will want to water daily to maximize yields. For more on watering check out this blog post.
Harvesting Peas & Beans
When its time to harvest the pods you will want to inspect and harvest at least once every two days. This will encourage more flowering and even more pods over time. This is simply a form of dead heading but for peas and beans. After you are done harvesting the plant is considered spent and can be discarded from the garden.
There you have it! a complete start to finish guide on how to grow peas and beans in Canada. Let me know in the comments below where you are from in Canada because it helps me make content better suited to you.
