Growing a large and permanent crop in one area is possible only if agrotechnical techniques and nuances are observed. One of them is the correct choice of pea predecessors. Like any leguminous crop, it requires individual conditions for the selection of previous plants, careful care and suitable soil and climate conditions.
Peas in crop rotation
To consistently obtain a large harvest, it is important to adhere to the established rules of crop rotation. When growing crops, you need to take into account the condition of the soil, atmospheric conditions and what plants were previously sown on the ground.When choosing locations for peas, important factors are also their low competitiveness to weeds and susceptibility to common diseases characteristic of legumes.
As a percentage, the share of seedlings in crop rotation should be no more than 25%. The frequency of returning the plant to one site varies from 4 to 6 years to prevent the occurrence of root rot. With an increased infectious background, this period increases to 8–10 years. In order to reduce the risk of transferring infectious pathogens and the spread of dangerous insects, experienced gardeners recommend pea crops plant separately from other legumes.
Tillage after peas
Preparing the soil for planting for the season following the legumes is carried out using a fall tillage system. The entire main processing process is divided into the following stages:
- During the spring-summer period, several layer-by-layer cultivations with harrowing are required. Final cultivation is carried out to the sowing depth.
- Provided there is sufficient soil moisture, semi-fallow cultivation of the soil is used.
- The soil surface is processed with disc implements.
- The soil is kept loose and periodically cleared of germinating weeds before sowing new crops.
- Before directly planting the next plants, the soil is disinfected in case of pest development, after which fertilizers suitable for the planned planting are applied.
Predecessors of peas
It is recommended to plant any plant varieties after winter and spring crops, potatoes, sugar beets. In areas with low humidity levels during the growing season of seedlings, the main difficulty in cultivation technology is the elimination of weeds.For this reason, it is better to use as predecessors those crops that contribute to carrying out agricultural measures to remove weeds and maintain the required level of moisture in the soil.
When planting in dry areas, it is worth choosing predecessors that dry out the soil to the least extent. Peas can produce high yields in dry soil if sown after oats and barley. It is important that the predecessor crops are fertilized and free from weeds.
The least clogged beds remain after row crops (corn, buckwheat, potatoes). In addition, when cultivating land with these plants, natural mineral fertilizers are used, which have a beneficial effect on subsequent plantings by stimulating the activity of legume-rhizobil symbiosis.
What to plant after peas?
All leguminous crops do not accept secondary crops on the same land for two consecutive seasons. Next year you need to plant plants that are comparable in their characteristics to this crop. Since during the ripening process peas release a large amount of nitrogen compounds into the soil, after ripening, nightshade and pumpkin crops, cabbage and root vegetables should be grown in the beds.
During cultivation, the plant constantly suppresses weeds and creates an abundant vegetative mass.
Thanks to rapid maturation, beds are cleared in a short time and the possibility of processing for sowing winter grain crops opens up. In areas at risk of leaching of remaining soil nitrogen after pea harvest It is recommended to sow crops that use this nitrogen for growth. Such crops include not only grains, but also winter rapeseed.A suitable option for cultivation after peas are catch crops.
What can't be planted after peas?
Due to the presence of common pathogens and dangerous pests, any pulses should not be grown after peas. Otherwise, the harvest will be significantly lower than planned. Due to the accumulation of wireworms, it is impossible to sow perennial grasses and sunflowers in the next season, since the residual seed drops will clog the soil for the next crops. Sudan grass and flax are excluded from subsequent crops due to the risk of transferring fusarium.
For proper ripening of all grown plants, it is important to maintain spatial isolation. When planted at the same time, peas should germinate at a distance of about 500 meters from all the above seedlings. This measure helps reduce the likelihood of seedlings being damaged by weevils and aphids.
