We have pods on the pea vines, but they are flat. Tradition says we need peas for the Fourth of July, only a week away. It's going to be close.

At least the woodchucks, who ate almost all of my pea vines last year, have been kept busy enough that they have kept away from the peas this year.

My two early varieties -- Knight, a shorter vine, and World's Record, a taller vine -- have good-looking flat pods. I can't remember from past years how long it takes to go from pods to edible peas, so this will be interesting.

I planted Green Arrow, a short later variety, at the same time, and that has only blossoms.

A planted Wando, a warm-weather variety, a week and a half ago, and they havn't even sprouted.

So I will keep watering and hope for peas within a week.

E-mail this entry to a friend