Using Pea Vines - Maximizing Your Harvest

Spring peas are on their way out (though now is a great time to sow a second crop of peas for fall harvest) and it’s time to pull the plants out of the garden make way for another crop rotation of  summer lettuce, or a row or two of bok choy. Before tossing pea plants  into your compost or yard waste bin (or feeding them to your chickens), consider using the last few inches of pea vine in your kitchen. Harvest by cutting the last 6-12" of vine from the plant. If tender enough, these pea vines may be harvested and sautéed or tossed in to salads, but this late in the season the odds are greater that you’ll be harvesting woody, tough stems from the plants. It takes little effort to coax them into something delicious, however, and using every bit from the plant is economical for both your time and your budget. I have a great recipe for Pea Vine Dumplings in Apartment Gardening – try it! It’s a great recipe to double up, as well – just freeze extra dumplings and use them for another meal or as a quick appetizer the next time you need to whip something up in a hurry.