Topic: to pea or not to pea

[plotman]

 ;D to pea or not to pea that is the question is it to early in the north ;D west ???http://

[Hugh_Jones]

Not if you stick to round seeded early varieties such as Feltham First or Fortune, both of which are very hardy but don`t have quite the flavour of the wrinkle seeded varieties.

[philcooper]

You could start some (round) using the gutter method in a cold greenhouse to give you a head start

[The gardener]

Or as a slight variation to Phils gutter method, place two or three seeds in each cell of a cell tray insert and germinate them in this way.

The reason I do mine this way rather than Phils is; I seem to have too many corners to go around from greenhouse to the bed, i.e. I have been known to let them slide out of the gutter on route to the bed ::)

But using either way is certainly one way of getting off to an early start.

[jammyd]

Hi folks, while we're on the subject of Peas, may I ask for a little advice? I've allocated room for 2 rows of a metre each for my 'Hurst Greenshaft', but having read my veggie books it seems I won't get much crop for this. Is it worth doing this little, or should I try to plant more? I was planning on planting straigh into the ground next month...

many cheers!

jams :)

[budgiebreeder]

You dont need to plant enough for a boiling even.You always need a few to test as you are passing.Same goes for many other fruit and vege.Testing is a must.

[Mrs Ava]

And that is the problem BB, I grow my peas, lots of them, and none ever make it to the table  >:(.  Pests, oh yes, my kids!  I don't mind really, they might as well eat them packed with vitamins fresh from the plant as have them cooked and probably not eat them when they are on their plate.

[flowerbaby_uk]

same here ej kids love em raw speshly sugar snap and the norms variety as well some do make it to the table but they eat far more raw fresh picked  :)

[jammyd]

Yikes! Sounds like they need a lot of protection (from birds & children)
Will have to make some bird scarers for the plot this year - keep meaning to, but it's one of those things I always forget. Doh :-\

jams  ;D

[aquilegia]

EJ - I don't know, you just can't win can you. Most parents complain their kids won't eat veg, here you are complain your kids do eat veg! ;)

I was thinking of growing sugar snap peas this year, but decided to save them for next year as I didn't know how much room they'd take up! I'm think I'm rather glad I decided that now. Maybe next year when I (as in hubby) have dug over more of the garden.

mmmm sugar snap peas. droool. better than sweets!

[Mrs Ava]

I know Aqui, but I am not complaining really, I get such a kick watching Ava and the kids picking and eating the fruit and the veg, that is why I don't spray, not for any high and mighty reasons, just because they can tuck in and I haven't got to worry.  It is why I have an allotment!  ;D