Topic: growing Alderman (aka tall) peas

[mat]

Have you grown any of the tall varieties of peas?   I wish to grow Alderman next year, but as growing peas is new to me, what do I use for Support?  I know I am asking early, but I need to plan what to buy as  a support! I cannot afford too much, but  I have thought about banging in posts and tying 6ft trellis panels to it, but...what have you found successful?

Also, the peas will be grown in a 12ft by 4ft bed, each bed is (will be!) seperated by a 2ft path.  Can I just grown ONE row of alderman peas down the length of the bed, so each row is 6ft apart, or could I grow two rows "back-to-back" on an A frame type of construction?

Cheers
mat
 :D

[Mrs Ava]

Yay, I grew alderman last year, and have 2 packs for this as they were fab!  I used 7 foot bamboos and poked them in the ground at intervals across the plot...probably used 5 bamboos.  The I used green netting which I tied to the bamboos.  Worked excellently, the peas grew up about 5 foot in all, and were very bountiful.  The only thing I will do differently this year is fleece them, if I can get enough fleece, as mine did get pea moth so some pods were full of wigglies. 

I can't see any problems using either method, I plant thickly and do one long row.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Sow two rows, thickly, two feet to two and a half feet apart, and build a five or six foot frame between them for the peas to climb up. Bamboos stuck into the rows and tied together at the top, with a pole running lengthways will do fine. If you're going to use netting, make sure you can get your hands through easily to get the pods inside.

[grawrc]

Yes I had some pea moth probs too. I sfleece the answer ot is there a fine enough mesh available? BTW what are good places pricewise to buy things like fleece and mesh?

[mat]

Thanks

I was worried as some books talk about very strong supports being required, sounds like they only need to be a bit more than bean strength (which I have grown at home, before getting the lottie this autumn.  Good to hear I can plant a double row.  when you say sow thickly, do you mean as per the books - a staggered "3 rows" of peas each a few inches apart?

Would Enviromesh be fine enough?  I see the organic catalogue states it protects against pea moth

Mel

[Robert_Brenchley]

Anything which will support beans should support peas. That's why I use a double row of poles; it gives everything stability.

[mr salad]

I tend to grow a Dutch purple podded variety called capucyners, great to eat fresh and dry well too.  Also seem to work well for keeping our own seed although it took me soome time to work out which colour of seed was which.  I grow single rows into 6ft high chicken netting that I have been using for at least 10 years.  The ends and the middle of the row are supported by some scaffolding poles pushed into the ground with another 2 or three canes between the poles to support the netting. 

[supersprout]

Hi graw, for crop protection, people here have recommended Kays and Plastics by Post, both have online stores and provide a wide variety of options. I've used both - good service and competitively priced  ;D

[grawrc]

Thanks Supersprout. I'll have a look at them.

[mat]

So if people are recommending fleecing/meshing these against Pea Moth, are peas self pollinating?  I thought they were like beans (being legumes) in that they needed bees...

mat

[grawrc]

Excellent sites Supersprout. Thanks ;D

[Simon05]

do the tall growing peas loose any sweetness, or do they have the same sweetness as the low growing ones?

[ina]

I tend to grow a Dutch purple podded variety called capucyners, great to eat fresh and dry well too.  Also seem to work well for keeping our own seed although it took me soome time to work out which colour of seed was which.  I grow single rows into 6ft high chicken netting that I have been using for at least 10 years.  The ends and the middle of the row are supported by some scaffolding poles pushed into the ground with another 2 or three canes between the poles to support the netting. 

A word of warning as many Britishers seem to be fond of eating peas raw during harvesting, better not do this with kapucijners, I read that they are poisonous when eaten uncooked. However, I did eat them raw before I knew this and had no ill effects but won't do it anymore.

[jennym]

do the tall growing peas loose any sweetness, or do they have the same sweetness as the low growing ones?

When I grew them, they seemed quite a substantial sort of a pea, if you know what I mean, a good mouthful of a pea - not like tiny sweet petit pois (which I also grow), but still better than shop bought !
 however EJ may be able to comment further?

[angle shades]

S05, the sweetness depends on variety, I always grow climbing peas from the heritage seed catalogue, one of the best is Ne plus ultra, but have also grown
Robinson,Champion of England and Prince Albert. I find the earlier you pick them
the sweeter they are. With Ne plus ultra you can delay picking them and they
will still be sweet. Hope this helps,regards, angle shades.

[Simon05]

angle shades

thanks for the information, will try a couple of those varieties this year.

[mr salad]

I tend to grow a Dutch purple podded variety called capucyners, great to eat fresh and dry well too.  Also seem to work well for keeping our own seed although it took me soome time to work out which colour of seed was which.  I grow single rows into 6ft high chicken netting that I have been using for at least 10 years.  The ends and the middle of the row are supported by some scaffolding poles pushed into the ground with another 2 or three canes between the poles to support the netting. 

A word of warning as many Britishers seem to be fond of eating peas raw during harvesting, better not do this with kapucijners, I read that they are poisonous when eaten uncooked. However, I did eat them raw before I knew this and had no ill effects but won't do it anymore.

That's a new one on me- I have eaten them raw, in smallish quantities, without any ill effects.  Anyone else know about this and why it might be so?

[ina]

There seems to be a toxic substance in them that becomes inactive with cooking.

http://www.voedingscentrum.nl/voedingscentrum/Public/Dynamisch/productinformatie/groenten+van+a-z/kapucijners.htm

In this article (sorry it's in Dutch) many beans, peas and even french beans are mentioned to have this substance, it seems they mean all pulses. I hope somebody can shed some light on why. Until I find out, no more raw beans or peas for me.

[grawrc]

I know that kidney beans are toxic if eaten raw, so maybe there is something potentially toxic present in all beans in differing quantities? Some not so bad as others.

[Lady Cosmos]

That is true, Ina,  In peulvruchten, french beans, peas, runners, and special in Kapucijners is LECTINEN. That , when eaten uncooked, will get attached to koolhydraten, carbohydrate.  The bowels cannot digest these carbohydrates and that will give you pain in bowels, and if eaten a lot of that veg uncooked, even the kidneys wil hurt. That why it is much better to cook those legumes.
Lentils and peas have less LECTINE that the other beans.
But it is a difficult story to explain......