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As the pea seeds from the gardening store look the same to me like the dried ones from the supermarket, I'd ask myself the question if I could use those for growing them as Microgreens? Is this possible or are they most likely some kind of special breed that can't germinate?

UPADTE:

I had a few supermarket peas soaked overnight and 'planted' them this morning. Unfortunately, I could not find my usual microgreen trays because I did renovate this summer and therefore I had to use a provisional, but it will do the job. I will post an update with pictures as soon as there is something to see.

Gistiv
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2 Answers2

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Every pea is a seed. Absolutely. But every pea should not be used to plant peas. Seeds you know nothing about, seeds you've gotten from your own plants yet you do not know both parents should not be used. I still gather them and hold onto them for emergencies?

Always purchase the best seed you are able to afford. Look at disease resistance, make sure the variety is able to thrive in your zone, know the pH that plant needs in the soil, how to water, that the drainage is exemplary, what fertilizer is the best and how never to overdo, how to build the soil you have, unless you are using pots then it should always be bagged, sterilized plain old cheapo potting soil...never soil from the garden.

Your seeds should always state NON GMO on the label. Gathering your own seed without the facilities to know both parents for sure, is too iffy.

There are lots of plants either 'feminized' or unable to make seed altogether to protect the patent. Peas aren't that great for eating as sprouts if that is what you mean by microgreens. I would certainly collect them and vacuum pack and put in the fridge or freezer. But I would focus on getting great seeds first...don't use anything you find in the grocery store

Peas are one of the easiest to grow, they love cold. Always start with non gmo seeds. Cost a bit more but you do not want genetically modified pea plants...trust me.

stormy
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  • Thanks for this detailed reply! While I get your points, I'd like to know what's the problem with plants from which I dont know both parents? I would assume that seeds that state NON GMO have parents that are NON GMO as well. Or are there other sources of risk? Further it would be nice to know what one has to do, to safely use the seeds from the own plants. – Gistiv Nov 08 '17 at 08:32
  • Depends what you mean by 'good' Stormy - pea shoots and sprouts are highly nutritious, with large amounts of Vitamin A, C and K and high folic acid - I also find them very tasty. – Bamboo Nov 08 '17 at 18:56
  • But would you dehydrate sprouts of any kind? All the 'nutrition' in those sprouts were the same in the seed, plus water. Just easier to eat. But I was talking about their thoughts to dehydrate the sprouts to save for later? – stormy Nov 08 '17 at 23:17
  • @Gistiv to grow your own seed means you need to be able to seclude, isolate and filter incoming air that most certainly has pollen included...that you have no idea what or where it came from. Very sterile conditions, generations of plants that have demonstrated the traits you want and have no disease, to be able to certify the seed. Crops of GMO foods; corn, soy beans, peas, tomatoes...all species, even apples now. If you live within a 5 mile radius (someone told me) of a GMO corn patch and you grow corn you have a 50 to 75% chance of getting a hybrid with the GMO corn. That seed will be – stormy Nov 08 '17 at 23:24
  • ...half GMO genetics. Designing our food while we humans are so naive and do not have enough information to be redesigning our food is irresponsible. Corn has glyphosate in the genome so glyphosate when sprayed on the crop kills just the weeds, not the corn. It also has BT, the toxin to kill corn worms. – stormy Nov 08 '17 at 23:34
  • ...Usually a great pesticide, very specific, very...'organic' but they put the BT in the genome, we eat that corn; corn syrup, tortillas, canned corn, dog food...I don't have to worry about GMO crops anywhere near and I collect seed just in case, but while I am able I always buy certified seed and starts and seed potatoes while I can. – stormy Nov 08 '17 at 23:36
  • ... If you have two types of peas, those seeds might be one or the other type of pea or a 50/50 hybrid. You will never know. If the day comes when no one can purchase seed anymore, that 'who knows' pea seed will make peas that you can eat. Rats that were fed GMO corn stopped resembling rats, full of tumors. Other countries have turned away shipments of GMO, even tho they are starving. There is a lot of work involved with growing a seed into food, might as well start with reliable seed. Otherwise, you plant those peas now and they will make food for you in a few months, barring..unknowns. – stormy Nov 08 '17 at 23:38
  • I'm not seeing any reference to dehydrating the sprouts - I see a reference to saving seed, but that can't happen (obviously) if the peas aren't allowed to grow, flower, and set pods... – Bamboo Nov 09 '17 at 13:16
  • I reread this question and couldn't find that again either. Do you think they changed the question's wording? Or did I get that from some other question? Or was I in dream land? I am sure I read that as that sort of caught my attention big time. – stormy Nov 09 '17 at 23:19
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Yes, a dried pea is a seed, but there's a 'but'! Dried peas bought for culinary purposes will not be a 'special breed that can't germinate', but, like dried beans, they may actually not grow for other reasons. Some peas and beans sold for food use are irradiated prior to sale to prevent them starting to grow or sprouting; others may be pretty old, or not stored in optimum conditions (for growth) and, whilst still perfectly suitable as a foodstuff, are no longer able to produce growth. But you might find some do grow, and they're relatively cheap, so it's worth a try if you've got plenty of space and you're prepared for a high failure rate, or with no guarantee of growth. I'd certainly experiment with them if I had room, but if you want guaranteed microgreens, its best to buy seed peas.

UPDATE: I just noticed in the comments you mentioned saving your own seed - in order to do that, you would have to grow the peas on to maturity, so that they flower and set pods, which you then harvest and save for growing as microgreens. But you'd need an awful lot of pea plants to produce seeds from the pods to have a regular supply of microgreens over time.

Bamboo
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