Plant Library

Group/Class:  Heirloom

Description:

Super early maturing and high yielding, this heirloom variety is perfect for patio containers, balconies and small gardens; semi-dwarf bushes produces 4" long green pods full of sweet and tender peas; great for eating fresh or frozen

Edible Qualities

Little Marvel Garden Pea is an annual vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces pods of green pods which are typically harvested when mature. The pods have a sweet taste and a crisp texture.

The pods are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Cooking
• Baking
• Freezing

Planting & Growing

Little Marvel Garden Pea will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 4 inches apart. Because of its vigorous growth habit, it may require staking or supplemental support. This fast-growing vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and it is considered by many to be an heirloom variety.

Little Marvel Garden Pea is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing the canvas against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.