Empty pea pods: why are there no peas in the pods?

Do you like the fresh taste of sweet peas? If so, you’ve probably tried growing them yourself. One of the earliest crops, peas are a prolific grower and generally quite easy to cultivate. That said, they do have problems and one of them may not be a pea pod, or rather the appearance of empty pea pods. What could be the reason for the absence of pea pods?

Help, my peas are empty!

The simplest and most likely explanation for empty pea pods is that they are not yet ripe. When you look at the pod, ripe peas are small. The peas swell as the pods ripen, so try to give them a few more days. Of course, the border is very thin. Peas are best when they are young and tender; letting them over-ripen can result in hard, starchy peas.

This is the case if you grow shelling peas, also known as English peas or green peas. Another possible reason for pods that don’t produce peas, or at least no normal sized fat peas, is that you may have mistakenly planted a different variety. Peas exist in the English pea variety mentioned above, but also in the form of edible pod peas, which are grown to eat the whole pod. These include flat-shelled snow peas and thick-shelled peas. You may have chosen the wrong pea by mistake. That’s an idea.

Last thoughts on «No peas in the Pod»

It is unlikely that peas can be grown with completely empty pods. The appearance of flat, barely swollen pods is more indicative of a snow pea. Even instant peas have visible peas in the pods. Instant peas can even be quite large. I know this because I grow them every year and we have so many that I invariably leave some on the vine. They get huge and I peel them and eat them. The peas are sweeter when they’re not as ripe and the pod is much softer, so I throw the pod away and chew the peas.

Correct planting of your peas will also help to avoid any problems with non-producing pea pods. Plant the pea directly into the ground in early spring, once all danger of frost has passed. Space them fairly close together – 1 to 2 cm apart in the row, as the peas do not need to be thinned once they have germinated. Leave enough space between the rows to facilitate harvesting and to install the grape variety support.

Feed peas with a balanced fertilizer Peas need phosphorus, but not nitrogen, because they produce their own phosphorus. Pick peas frequently when they are ripe. In fact, shelling peas are at their peak before the peas have filled the pod to the point of bursting. Snow peas will be fairly flat, while split peas will have separate peas inside the pod, although not very large.

This Old World culture has been cultivated for thousands of years. In fact, it was grown as a dry crop known as split peas until the end of the 17th century, when someone realized how delicious the berries are when young, green and sweet. In any case, it’s worth it. Follow a few simple planting rules, be patient and make sure you plant the pea variety you hope to grow to avoid the problem of no peas in the pods.