Topic: mangetout peas

[caseylee]

Mine have been growing in my kitchen and are getting very tall at the moment.  Is it to early to put them in a cold greenhouse.

[5rod]

hi 5 rod
I think you have started a little early .that why thier gone leggy I am
 starting mine in about 2 weeks time,you could try putting them
in cold green house ,but if you have more seeds i start again
hope this is help full

[gridgardener]

so sorry to early. best bet is to try bigger pot.
the reason they are leggy is the are not get light from strong enough source.

[caseylee]

I have just checked the seed packet and it says march time I read the wrong packet when I sowed them, I think I will wait a few more weeks and re do

[5rod]

hi 5rod
weve  all done it .their nothing like fresh grown peas
 good luck ;D ;D

[Jeannine]

caseylee, we all sow too early sometimes, I sow many squash way before time but very often I can get away with it, last year I had 80+ different  varieties of squash plants which were  transplanted very early and they were doing well, then the vandals pulled them up, I re sowed which was about the right time, and got them into the lottie about 2 weeks late perhaps but they were doing well, then we were flooded out.

I collect squash seeds and often plant early in the hope that some of the later ones that are difficult to grow in the UK get the longer season they need, last year it didn't pay off, most times it does, but it gambling and unless there is  a very good reason to try it is perhaps better to hold off.

Good Luck

XX Jeannine

[adrianhumph]

 Hi caseylee,
                      I think you should pinch out the top growth of the peas leaving each plant with 3 to 4 sets of leaves. Then put them out into your cold green house, peas are very hardy, mine have been growing in a cold frame all winter & have been pinched out twice, this encourages more shoots from the bottom of the plant. At the end of March or early April plant them out in their growing position & they should give you an early crop. Sow some more in a week or two & these will give you a crop later on.
                                                              Adrian.

[caseylee]

sorry to sound like a complete newbie when you pinch out what exactly do I do, silly question I know but I would rather do it right

[springbok]

Casey its a nerve wracking experience LOL.

I had to pinch out my Sweetpeas and was petrified doing it.

You basically pinch with your nails the first two leaves on the top of the plant.  The ones that were born with the original seed.
After doing my Sweetpeas they started sprouting side shoots.

Believe me I was really nervous I would kill them off :D  Silly I know, but like yourself I am clueless at most things in the garden. :D

[artichoke]

Maybe not entirely relevant, but grandson (9) has been growing broad beans in a bowl of water in kitchen, and they grew about 7 inches tall, leggy, weedy etc. Yesterday I cut them down to 1 inch, and we planted them in his corner of the allotment; I also used a few to fill in some gaps in my own autumn sown broad beans. They have good root systems.

Time will tell, but I am expecting at least some of these beans to throw up fresh shoots and get away safely. I am encouraged by observing over the years that any autumn sown broads that get frosted and fall over black do exactly that.