Weeding peas.

When it comes to weeding, peas are one of the easier crops for saving time and effort pulling up weeds.

Properly preparing your soil is an excellent preventive measure against the emergence of weeds. When you till or cultivate the area where you’ll plant peas, remove weeds and debris. You’ll likely find that the first few weeks after planting are the only time you’ll be pulling up weeds in your pea garden. After planting and initial weeding, place mulch no later than three to five weeks after planting to further deter weeds.

Plant your pea seeds thickly and in wide beds. You don’t need to thin! Pea plants grow quickly, forming a canopy that blocks out the sun and inhibits weed growth. Healthy pea plants actually prevent the need to weed!

If weeds come up between your more mature pea plants during the season, gently pull them out of the soil. Don’t hoe or work the soil roughly—pea plants are very tender, and you can easily damage the roots.

Do you have problems with weeds in your pea patch? How do you handle weeding—and preventing weeds in the first place? Please tell us how you handle weeds in your pea garden.