Topic: Pea Half Pint

[nippon-neko]

Hello

I sow some peas called Half Pint today.
This is a very dwarf variety and according to some websites it is a very old one too.
I wonder if I can leave them to their maturity and collect seeds?
I have never collected seeds for peas and don't know how true they are going to be.
I can buy them from T&M (being out of stock) or another one.
The package contains only 35 seeds.
Paying P&P only for this pea is not feasible.

[saddad]

Peas come true... so you can save the seed, except from F1's that these aren't..  :)

[Georgie]

I don't know if you can save the seeds or not.  But I do know that you won't get many pods per plant from this variety so it will depend on your will power.  ;D

G x

[jo9919]

I don't know if you can save the seeds or not.  But I do know that you won't get many pods per plant from this variety so it will depend on your will power.  ;D

G x

Thanks for that. I was wondering whether to give this variety a go, as I grow in containers.

I've tried Hestia runner beans before (supposed to be a good variety for containers) but they didn't do as well, even in containers, as 'normal' runner beans.

I usually grow Early Onwards peas in containers and have had really good crops with these, so I think I'll give Half Pint a miss.

Jo.

[Georgie]

Yes, I was disappointed with Hestia too.  I am beginning to wonder whether seeds branded as 'ideal for containers' are a bit of a con.

G x

[Tee Gee]

I sow some peas called Half Pint today.

A that name brings back memories.

Does anyone remember when you used to buy peas and beans by the pint? or half pint as the case might be...............or am I getting too old!! ;D

The way I save my peas is this;

When I sow them I put four seeds in a 24 cell tray meaning I need 96 seeds.

If I am saving a short variety that perhaps has around 6 peas in it I save at least 16 pods usually to be on the safe side 20.

With a longer variety I save proportionally less.

Once that job is out of the way we eat the rest of the crop, simple as that !!

[saddad]

I grew some hestia last year by default, about  6 plants in a small window box and under the circumstances thought they did quite well... clearly they weren't going to flodd us out with Runner beans...  :-\

[nippon-neko]

Thank you very much for your advice.
I tried Hestia too and their crops were OK to me.
I tend to buy dwarf varieties for containers, some such as French beans are very good. Some peas are also good.
I grow vegetables only for two of us so restricted crops are fine by me.
The only drawback is that container gardening is costly as I need to buy lots of compost.