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Post by hmoosek on Sept 14, 2022 12:17:39 GMT -6
This was my year of the pea. I have pods drying on every variety I planted EXCEPT … Polecat. The plants look fine, but not a bloom in sight. I fully expect they will, but they sure do run behind all the others.
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Post by hmoosek on Sept 18, 2022 17:23:46 GMT -6
I see a lot of Calico pods drying down, but man the grasshoppers and aphis are relentless. I can’t wait to break open the pods and see what we have!
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Post by hmoosek on Sept 19, 2022 18:07:09 GMT -6
I put a total of 7 plants in the ground. There are numerous pods drying. Most productive pea to date. I snatched a small pod today because I could not wait to show y’all! Absolutely beautiful pea. The pods go from Green to Yellowish as it starts to dry. Thank you rdback for the opportunity to grow these. Lord Willing, these will be a mainstay. outside light Inside Light
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Post by woodeye on Sept 19, 2022 20:41:48 GMT -6
Those are real pretty, moose. Color is like a Razorback, but bigger peas...Cool
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Post by hmoosek on Sept 19, 2022 21:13:01 GMT -6
Yes and they almost have a Cutshort appearance. I’m really liking the look of these. The grasshoppers and aphids love them. I guess pests know a good pea when they see one.
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Post by chrysanthemum on Sept 19, 2022 21:50:34 GMT -6
Those look great, HMooseK.. It’s great you were able to get so many seeds in spite of the grasshoppers and aphids. Good work!
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Post by hmoosek on Sept 21, 2022 0:53:55 GMT -6
Yanked all the plants, took them to a table and spanked the pudding out of them to shake off the aphids. I took my hand and killed all I could till I no longer could get any aphids to fall off. I ran my hands up and down the pods killing all I could. It’s crazy that the aphids were all over these, but I can’t find them on any other plants in the yard. Big Boy is 60 feet away and has no bugs, Puny Pea Patch is approximately 40 feet away and has no bugs. Minnie Shatterly beans are right next to them, maybe 12 feet or so away and has no bugs. It’s the darnest thing I ever saw. The aphids are on the 1 calico plant in the pot. That is growing right next to the ones in the ground. It looks fine, but still isn’t blooming. I haven’t made up my mind if I will leave it or yank it. I’m going to have lots of seed from the plants in the ground, so it’s not needed for seed. I may leave it as a trap plant. My Minnie Shatterly beans are producing pods of beans, so I’d hate for them to get attacked.
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Post by chrysanthemum on Sept 21, 2022 5:39:11 GMT -6
I think leaving the plant as a trap crop sounds like a good idea. Just be sure that once you’ve trapped enough, get rid of it before they decide to spread. Do you ever spray neem oil for aphids? I’m thinking about what you could do not on the plants that are already covered but on the others if you see signs of them starting. I tend to like to let ladybugs take care of aphids, so I avoid neem when I can, but there are times that the plants need help, and it does help.
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Post by amyinowasso on Sept 21, 2022 10:09:15 GMT -6
In 2016 or 17 I grew some Lady Peas. I wanted to test the pods for making apple flavored jelly. They were in a 4x8 bed, one of the better beds. I had some other peas planted elsewhere, but this batch was inundated with aphids. I couldn't hose them off, they were too flexable. Plus it was about the surface temperature of the sun outside. I gave up, let the good bugs feast and hoped they'd stick around. Can't tell you how many insects I found on them. Eventually I got a few peas from them, but I didn't try jelly. I have never grown that variety again and no other pea has been bothered that bad. They're advertised as "sweet" and heat tolerant and easy to pick. No wonder I wanted to try them. Anyway, "sweet" made me wonder if there was a particular draw to aphids. I know excess nitrogen draws aphids, I don't think that bed was fertilized, but i have slept since then.
When I googled Calico Crowder peas, one source said they were also known as polecat? I know you're growing those too.
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Post by hmoosek on Sept 21, 2022 11:18:54 GMT -6
amyinowassoYes, I’m growing both. I was interested in seeing if they are the same pea, but The polecat I have is a crossed pea, so it’s mostly just a grow out for fun. The polecat didn’t draw aphids and the plants don’t look exactly the same as Calico. It’s been a fun experiment. I do wish the polecats were growing better, but they really didn’t like the small container.
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Post by hmoosek on Sept 23, 2022 18:02:59 GMT -6
Ok Doke, All pods shelled now. I was able to get exactly 3 ounces of seed. I’m happy!
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Post by rdback on Sept 24, 2022 8:59:03 GMT -6
Well there's a thing of beauty. Congrats hmoosek!
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Sept 25, 2022 17:19:05 GMT -6
That was an excellent seed increase. Congratulations!
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Post by chrysanthemum on Sept 25, 2022 20:29:37 GMT -6
That is a mighty fine looking bowl of pea seed, hmoosek . Good work!
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