Food for thought do you know the difference between sweet peas, snow peas, and snap peas? Let us know.

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      Weather update:  When I got up at 4:00 AM this morning, the outdoor temperature was 43 degrees.  UNBELEVABLE for Feb in Iowa.  High today of 58 tonight a low of 38.  This is April weather.  It is full blue sky but the wind is blowing and a wind advisory for today.  I have the door open in the greenhouse all ready.  See what April will bring. 
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Another article for food for thought.  Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Peas  by Catherine Boeckmann
Use this as guide when to plant peas.
When to Plant Peas
Sow seeds 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost date when the soil is cool, or when it is at the desired temperature. Peas planted in cold (40°F) soil will germinate slowly; peas planted in soil that is at least 60°FF (but not more than 85°F) will catch up.
The sweet taste of glorious garden-grown peas is nothing like what you find in grocery stores. They are nature’s candy off the vine! Peas are one of the season’s first crops, planted as soon as the ground can be worked, even if snow falls afterward.
About Peas
Peas are easy to grow, but their growing period is limited. It’s essential to plant them early enough in spring so they mature while the weather is still cool! (This means planting in most parts of the United States and Canada in February, March, or April.) However, they can also be grown as a fall or winter crop in warmer regions.
Peas do not stay fresh long after harvest, so enjoy their taste as soon as possible! Those peas in grocery stores are often starchy in taste, which you’ll find has no comparison to garden-fresh peas.
Three varieties of peas suit most garden and culinary needs:
Sweet peas, aka garden peas or English peas (Pisum sativum ssp. sativum), have inedible pods from which the seeds (peas) are taken.
Snow peas (P. sativum var. macrocarpon) produce edible, flat, stringless pods containing small peas.
Snap peas (P. sativum var. macrocarpon ser. cv.) produce thick, edible pods containing large/full-size peas.
Great planting companions for peas include: Chives, Mint, Alyssum, Carrot, Corn, Cucumber, Radish, Turnip, and Beans. Learn more about Companion Planting.
PLANTING
Select a sunny location and well-draining soil. Although peas can grow in part shade, they won’t be as sweet or productive as those grown in full sun. Prepare the soil, preferably in the fall, mixing in aged manure and/or compost, and much well—peas like well-draining soil.
When to Plant Peas
Sow seeds 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost date when the soil is cool, or when it is at the desired temperature. Peas planted in cold (40°F) soil will germinate slowly; peas planted in soil that is at least 60°FF (but not more than 85°F) will catch up.
Snow will not hurt emerging pea plants, but several days with temperatures in the teens might. Be prepared to plant again if the first peas don’t make it. Alternatively, try starting your peas in a cold frame.
A second round of peas can be planted in the late summer or early fall, approximately 6 to 8 weeks before your first fall frost date.
Here are some more tips on when to start planting peas.
How to Plant Peas
Peas are best direct-seeded right in the ground and do not like their roots disturbed. But transplanting is possible if you start seeds in biodegradable pots; you’ll transplant the pot and all into the garden, and the pot will disintegrate.
Where spring is long and wet, plant seeds in raised garden beds.
To speed germination, soak seeds in water overnight before planting.
Sow seeds 1 inch deep (slightly deeper if the soil is dry) and about 2 inches apart. Do not thin.
Plant rows 7 inches apart.
Regarding crop rotation, do not plant peas in the same place more than once every four years.
Like those of other legumes, pea roots fix nitrogen in the soil, making it available for other plants.
In terms of fertilizer, peas need phosphorus and potassium, but excess nitrogen will encourage foliage growth instead of flowers or pods. Learn more about soil amendments.
Bush peas can reach 18 to 30 inches tall.  Pole types can grow at least 4 to 6 feet tall. Both types benefit from support (especially bush peas above 2 feet and all pole peas). Install thin tree branches or twiggy sticks (pea sticks), trellises, chicken wire, strings, or netting before plants establish their shallow roots. See instructions on how to build trellises and supports for peas.
Water to keep the soil moist. If seeds wash out of the soil, poke them back into it.
GROWING
Water peas sparsely with no more than 1 inch per week, unless the plants are wilting. We don’t want to encourage pea rot. But also do not let the plants dry out. If this happens, no pods will be produced.
Gently remove intrusive weeds by hand. If necessary, hoe or cultivate, but carefully avoid disturbing peas’ shallow, fragile roots.
Pea leaves turn yellow for several reasons. Often, this is due to the stress of hot weather. Provide partial shade (e.g., row covers) and water properly during the hottest time of day.
Fertilizing plants is not usually required if the plants are mulched deeply with grass clippings, shredded leaves, or another biodegradable material.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/peas
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365