Asparagus Peas

[Wheatyman]

Hi all, as anybody tried or grown asparagus peas and with what success, also the best time to sow the seeds or are they just the same as normal old garden peas when it comes to sowing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Wheatyman

[asbean]

We've grown it for the last three years, and we like it.  It's not to most people's taste - as it doesn't taste like asparagus or peas.  It has a flavour of its own, hard to describe, but quite pleasant.

We usually grow about 12 plants, and a few in the garden, as they have pretty purplish flowers.  They are easy to grow, and grow to about just under a metre.  They don't need any attention, and if you grow them close together or close to other plants they hold each other up.

They do need picking regularly and must be picked when they are about 2.5cm long otherwise they are definitely very tough. and we find the best way to eat them is as a pre-meal snack,boiled briefly and then tossed in butter.  They can be put in stir-fries, but then we don't do stir-fries so we wouldn't know about that.

They are worth a try, like anything else, it's a matter of taste.

[grawrc]

Have a look at this thread:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,43792.0.html
or this one:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,30835.0.html

The consensus was that they are not very nice, but as Asbean says it's all down to taste!

[asbean]

I think I must be the only person who likes them, reading those threads!

Certainly if they are too big they are woody, stringy and tasteless.  So the key is to pick them very small.  But they do grow fast, and it's tempting to pick the bigger ones, but it's best to chuck those and just eat the small ones.

With asparagus pea big is definitely not better.

[pro7fgf25]

planted the same as peas but it is down to the taste factor we grew them and they produced an healthy crop but the taste is something to get used to...

you either love them or hate them it a marmite situation......

[digger46]

Hi  Wheatyman   I  grew  some last year   and  picked  them   when  they were   4cm   long    I   thought    they  were   very nice    at this size   but   any   longer  no good,   any   way give them   a try   and good luck.
                   
                  From   Digger 46

[Bugloss2009]

throw away the seeds and eat the packet instead   

[saddad]

They do make a very decorative edging plant though... 

[chriscross1966]

Hi is a thread on ASapragus peas in "Edible Plants".... they're not, honestly they're not.....

[PurpleHeather]

They are neither peas nor asparagus.

They suit stir frying best and taste better picked young then thinly sliced, mixed with other veg.

[Digeroo]

Don't bother.  I found the flavour ok but they did not produce many.  Have some ordinary peas instead!  Pretty flowers though.  Maybe put in the flower garden and if you get an edible portion think of it as a bonus.

[Wheatyman]

Hi all thanks for all the advice, I'll give them ago and let the wife try them first.

Thanks Wheatyman

[GodfreyRob]

Scientific study!

In their favour:

Easy to grow               
Pretty flowers             
A little bit dfferent       
Sound Exotic - Impress your mates!   

Against

Fiddly to harvest as you have to get them small and the 'pods' are exactly the same colour as the leaves and hidden amongst them. 
Nice taste but only when small (like under an inch) as they get tough and chewy. 
Not that different 

Overall worth a try