Topic: Planting Peas

[veggigirl]

I planted my pea seeds in toilet roll tubes. I have planted them in the allotment now that they have grown in the toilet roll tubes, but the plants are looking yellow with very slow growth. Should i have taken them out of the toilet rolls?

Any ideas welcome?!

[STHLMgreen]

I also planted my peas 5 days ago in toilet paper rolls. They've come up so quickly and are already a few inches tall and on one the roots are already sticking out of the bottom.

How soon do I have to plant them out? Will it hurt if they stay in there a bit longer?

[kt.]

Never planted peas in toilet rolls before. I usually sow then in 2ft lengths of guttering. When the plane gets to 2-3 inches high, it is watered so the whole 'trough' of compost and plant are pushed into the drill in the ground where they are to grow. This does not disturb the roots.

Maybe the sides of the toilet rolls should of been split to allow the plant roots to spread. Peas only have shallow roots.

As for planting out - if the roots are out the bottom of the toilet rolls - they should now be planted out. My first lot have been out for 3-4 weeks now, my 2nd lot went out 10-14 days later, and I have a 3rd lot that will go out in 2 weeks time.

[kitten]

I was hoping to sow some peas this weekend in modules - am i too late, should i sow direct instead?

[saddad]

We always start ours in 3" pots Kitten, just a covering and then plant out the pot full at the bottom of a wigwam or wire run... but we grow tall peas!
 ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'm using the same method this year. How big do you let them grow before you plant them out?

[kenkew]

I'm a bit puzzled as to why people start peas off other than by direct sowing. Any time from mid-March dig a 2" deep trench about a foot wide. Scatter peas, cover them with your 2" of soil and forget them until you see them. Any danger of frost then cover them.
Sowing single peas in pots sounds such a bind.

[Robert_Brenchley]

in a word, mice! I got a row to germinate well last year by planting under cloches, but I don't have enough seed for decent rows this year; I've just got small quantities of two heritage varieties, and I'm planning to save my own for next year. So I'm going to use the pots to do two wigwams, and then repeat what I did last year with larger quantities of seed.

[miniroots]

Another word - slugs!!  Nothing tender has a chance on my plot until it's a bit bigger.

I'm planting mine out today...

[asbean]

And another word - pigeons.  The first year we had the allotment I sowed directly into the ground, and they apparently never came up.  I just put it down to inexperience.  The second year I was told be a neighbouring allotmenteer that he's seen a huge flock of pigeons flying from my plot - and pointed in the direction of where my peas were poking through.  Sure enough, they'd scoffed the lot.  Now I make a frame of chicken wire held in place with bamboo, it's a fiddle getting the peas, but at least it's us that gets to eat them.

[STHLMgreen]

another reason... the cold!

here in Stockholm there is a danger of frost through May.
If I didn't start my tomatoes and peppers (and this year I'm trying beans and peas) I wouldn't get to really enjoy the harvest.