Peas and Beans

Dwarf Peas and Beans are also called  Bush Peas, Bush Beans. They usually take about 7 days to pop up out of the ground, depending on the local weather conditions.
The best time to sow Peas, if you are living on the East Coast is in the late autumn/early winter. On the Tablelands they should be sown after the last frosts.
Beans can be planted on the East Coast all year around. It can get a little hot around December to January so plant snake beans for these months. On the Tablelands, as with peas, wait until after the winter frosts.
Sow the seeds directly into the soil 15mm to 20mm deep (1'' or knuckle deep) and 75mm to 100mm apart (3'' to 4''). Water in well and don't let them dry out.
I like to soak my Pea seeds over night. This helps achieve a better strike. It is not necessary to soak beans seeds.
Some gardeners prefer to sow their seeds into tubs/punnets so they can keep a closer eye on them especially if there is a possible of a frost, once they have their second crop of leaves and no more frost, they can be transplanted out in the garden.
Peas and Beans do not seem to grow well near Onions, Chives, Garlic.
As a companion plant Peas and Beans grow best with each other.
Peas and Beans do not like a lot of mulch or manure especially up against the stalk/stem, or being over-watered as they tend to rot off at the base of the stem.
Do not overfeed young plants or they will grow lanky and will not produce a good crop of fruit. Wait until they have started flowering and then give them a good feed of liquid fertilizer at least once a fortnight.
I prefer to feed my plants with liquid fertilisers. As you know, plants don't have teeth to munch on manures over night. You will find that if you use a liquid fertilizer you will get a better result in a shorter time.
By watering Peas in the mornings will help to avoid mildew. Do not overhead water late in the afternoon. If you do have mildew, try spraying with MILK mixed with a couple of drops of detergent.
With dwarf Peas and Beans you will have one main crop, with a second lighter crop and some pickings in between for the pot. Peas and beans freeze well and, providing they are processed immediately after picking, lose no more of their nutritional value than in just cooking them.
A good idea is to place a bottomless container around the young seedlings to stop the cut worm, or in my case the dragon lizard, from cutting/biting the tops off the new shoots; this will also give the new plants some protection from the wind.
Dwarf Peas/Beans only grow about 300mm to 600mm high (12'' to 24'') but they will require some support. They can be supported by either wire/mesh, string/twine, bamboo or you could try 15mm round plastic pipe, around 1.5m long (3'6'') pushed into the ground, say 75mm (3'') either end to create a hoop, from one side of the plant to the other, (cris cross).
Climbing Peas/Beans grow well over 2m high and produce steadily over a longer period. Pick regularly to keep plants vigorous and encourage a bigger crop.
They will need a good heavy-duty rack. The position of the rack should be facing towards the midday sun, (towards the North).
After the Peas/Beans have stopped producing the rack can also be used for growing cucumbers, pumpkins or tomatoes. Before you start ripping the pea and bean vines off the rack cut the stems off at ground level; leave the roots in the ground as pea and bean roots produce nitrogen nodules. They will break down and give your next seedlings a good kick start.
If you are going to save seed for your next crop or you are going to donate seed to a Seed Bank, you need to know if they are hybrid or non-hybrid seeds. Only save seed from plants that are non- hybrid. You can buy non-hybrid seeds from Eden Seeds a $1.80 a packet contact no 1800 188 199.
Commercial seeds are fine but are often hybrid; the seeds from these plants should not be collected for use for your next crop.