Growing Pea Shoots in Containers

For the past three years, I have been growing vegetables in my raised containers that my children built for me to supplement the harvest for the Community Day Center of Waltham.  As soon as the seeds germinate and new growth spout, the neighborhood rabbit family literally eat the plants down to the stub.  One day my garden box is green with growth and later that day I can only see soil.  After two years, I have been looking for alternative ways to grow food that would be out of reach of those rabbits.

This year for Mother's Day, my husband and children promise to build me a fence around the boxes. Until then, I have decided to grow pea shoots from a hanging basket.

I selected a fast growing peas: Micro Greens Peas for Shoots Organic HEIRLOOM Seeds from Botanical Interests.  I germinated some indoors.  After I filled the basket with soil, I planted the young sprouts.  I also sowed additional seeds densely around the plants in a single layer.  I added half an inch over soil to cover all the seeds.  I placed the basket in a sunny location and high up enough to be away from the rabbits.

Once there are at least two layers of leaves, I plan to harvest them.  Hopefully, there will be other plants growing in its place so I will continuously have pea shoots to harvest. 

My family and I love stir frying the pea tendrils with garlic.  In the past, we could only get them during the summer and they would be expensive. Now the pea shoots are showing up in markets and restaurants. The tender  pea shoots impart the sweet taste of peas that they could be added to both fresh and cooked dishes. Enjoy.