Topic: Pea frame.....experiences of design

[Hector]

Hi
Im pkanting Mange touts into lightly raised beds....soil is fine tilth. In the last few seasons Ive used this approach/ central net with row eithe side. It was ok but in win dy site the mesh the pkants climbed on raised up and pulled on plants. I had pinned it down but this was hard to "fix" with the tilth. This was especially the case when season progressed/denser growth made mesh like a wing or wind to push against.

I was wondering about this approach....has anyone got views/experience with this?

[galina]

Peas don't twine around string like beans do.  So this frame would work but would need a run of string on the outside at around 1-2ft intervals to 'tame' pea side shoots.  I usually have tall stakes in the corners  and a few 'pea sticks' in the centre.  'pea sticks' are short hedge prunings with a lot of little branches to give the young peas something to cling on with their tendrils low down.  Higher up they will cling to each other and just get 'coralled' by string fixed to the uprights going around them.  I hope this makes sense. 

[Hector]

Thanks :) We had chicken wire last year and would a twine " catch" Around the outside of the pants to snug them against it.

The problem we have is with the main frame staying fixed and the dense pea/ weave not being blown so the peas get pulled up....is your frame like this one?

[galina]

Thanks :) We had chicken wire last year and would a twine " catch" Around the outside of the pants to snug them against it.

The problem we have is with the main frame staying fixed and the dense pea/ weave not being blown so the peas get pulled up....is your frame like this one?

No frame at all.  I do grow some peas on obelisks but that is the exception.  I plant in a square or rectangle and then put tall strong bamboo or plastic canes in the corners and if it is a large patch also inbetween.  I push short shrubby pea supports (hedge prunings) in between the pea plants inside the 'corral'.  When the peas grow a bit, they grab hold of the shrubby supports and later when they have grown about 3 ft, I start to feed a length of string around the perimeter canes and when the peas grow more, a second to keep them inside and together.  Usually with tall peas a third is needed. 

But you can use this kind of frame, if you don't want to use it for beans.  Just fix canes in the 4 corners and feed string around to keep the pea plants 'corralled'.  Instead of string you could run netting or chickenwire around the outside of the structure you have, this would keep the peas under control and have the second advantage that they are better protected against pigeons too.   

[Tee Gee]

This how I support my peas;

[Hector]

I coped yours last year for shorter ones and they grew well....it was the taller jobs I had problems with :)

Woth the benefit of hidsight,knowing the crosswind we can get here, I should have put wire closer to soiland had the frame more braced....they were like a sail and slightly lifted pulling on the plants