Kelvedon Wonder Dwarf Pea (wrinkled seeds)

The Kelvedon Wonder Pea is a dwarf variety, about 60 cm (24in) tall, of shelling peas with wrinkled grains. This heat-resistant pea produces medium to long pods with a curved tip, growing in pairs (two pods per node). They contain 6 to 8 light green grains. Sow from March to May for a harvest from June to August.

The pea is an annual vegetable plant with a very ancient origin in the Near East. It is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables in Europe and Asia and has long been consumed dried, crushed before cooking. Its fresh consumption is relatively recent, and its nutritional and taste qualities make it an excellent spring vegetable.

There are many varieties, dwarf or climbing (pole) peas, producing pods containing round, wrinkled, or smooth grains. Either the pod must be shelled, or it can be consumed whole.

For shelling peas, the pod is not suitable for consumption as it is parchment-like, like green beans; therefore, it must be shelled. This category offers the widest choice and various sizes. Among shelling peas, we distinguish wrinkled peas, which are sweeter and more heat-tolerant, and smooth or round peas, which are more suitable for early cultivation as they are hardier and less sensitive to moisture. In the vegetable garden, smooth peas are sown first, and wrinkled peas are sown later.

The 'mangetout' pea has a non-parchment-like pod that is edible in its entirety when harvested before complete seed formation. Later, it can be shelled to be consumed as fresh peas.

There are also crunchy peas, sweeter, where the peas are consumed with their pods. Peas thrive in mild and humid climates. They are sensitive to extremes: heat, frost, water shortage, and excess.

Harvest: Depending on the earliness of the varieties, peas are harvested between two and a half and four months after sowing.

Pick mangetout peas when the grains are just formed. Enjoy them as soon as possible.

Storage: Fresh peas can be stored for 48 hours in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

Gardener's tip: Peas, like all plants in the Fabaceae family, enrich the soil with nitrogen. They fit into a four-year rotation. Peas are low-nutrient-demanding plants. Peas also pair well with carrots, celery, cabbage, turnips, potatoes, and radishes as they mutually protect each other. Avoid the presence of alliums or fennel as their growth inhibits each other.