The leaf in the foreground reveals the petite size of this emerging pea. I love pea seedlings because they are so unique. They have this gentle eloquence. Maybe it’s the little curled tendril or perhaps the feminine curve of the leaves.

Peas are one of the earliest garden crops one can plant, alongside spinach and greens. They don’t take heat well, so the goal is to get them in early enough that they have time to grow to maturity before the heat strikes. Now is a good time to place supports- cages made of sticks, two poles with strings hanging down for them to climb up, anything to allow the plant to grow upwards, and therefore take up less of ones garden space. Fortunately peas get ripped out in early summer opening up the garden for heat lovers like peppers and tomatoes.