Is it too early for peas?

[pakaba]

Hi
I read somewhere that i could put my peas in now?  I thought was too early.  When is the best time to put them in? and any advice on growing them would be appreciated.  Do they grow like sweet peas?

Pakaba

[pakaba]

[MikeB]

Try

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=28&topic=15682.msg159362#msg159362

[redimp]

I think you may get away with sowing round peas indoors at the moment as long as you get them used to outdoors before they get put out permanently.  Round peas (e.g. Feltham First) are hardier than wrinkled.  Pease don'e like their roots disturbing though so use paper/toilet roll inner pots or guttering and don't sow too many just in case it doesn't work.  Finally, resurrect this thread in March/April to let us know how you are getting on.

[cleo]

Glad you answered Red Clanger cos I have been looking at this one for a while and thinking `why not`, we sow round seeds in the late autumn-but why not try them indoors about now?

It`s not something I have tried in all my years of growing-one never stops learning and thinking

[jennym]

Around about now, I half fill a deep seed tray with compost, sprinkle peas very, very thickly all over the surface, cover with compost and wait for them to shoot. In about 4 weeks maybe, will make a shallow trench along a row on the allotment, and sprinkle the shooting peas into this, covering them lightly, say about an inch. They seem to do very well, and have found that  this early batch avoids the moth and resulting grubs. Haven't found that they suffer from root disturbance at all, maybe that's because they aren't growing for too long in the seed tray.

[growmore]

I sow mine in  old plastic gutters ...Then when they are ready for planting outside..I water them well ,Make a shallow furrow in the ground  and just slide them into it out of the gutter, They slide out easy if wet...cheers jim

[grawrc]

I noticed that when I took over my plot last year there were some long u shaped glass things left by the previous tenant. Now I know what to do with them! Thanks Growmore. :) :) :)

[Curryandchips]

Can you sow all types of peas early then, ie round or wrinkled, or must I wait, as my packet says March? I hope my question is not stupid, as I have not grown peas before.

Thank you kindly.

[Larkspur]

Rounds first, wrinkled when the soil warms up, say mid April at the earliest, depending on where you are.

[grawrc]

I think, as Red Clanger has said, that the round ones are hardier than the wrinkled so you should leave the wrinkled ones till later. The wrinkled ones tend to be sweeter.

Glad to see you posting, Curry! :)

[Curryandchips]

Yes mine are a marrowfat variety, for making pea soup and mushy peas and things like that because these are rather expensive to buy and fairly awful in my mind. I like to complete the process of growing and then cooking the produce as well.

Thank you grawrc for welcoming me, I have been reading for a while, but now we seem to be into the exciting growing part of the year, so I hope to learn from all you rather clever people. This site seems so big!

[grawrc]

What variety of marrowfat pea are you planting, Curry?

[Curryandchips]

I think they are called lincoln, and please forgive me if I am stupid, but I presume they are marrowfat, is that the name given to the round peas, or am I confusing them with something else. My ignorance is rather obvious I guess. However as suggested by jennym, I will try putting some in a seed tray and get them growing.

[grawrc]

I think "lincoln" are one of the later "wrinkled" varieties so make sure you protect them from frost etc. Jennym always has good advice. She is very knowledgeable about most garden related things (IMHO)

Not too sure myself about what is marrowfat and what ain't but this site fairly bristles with cleverclogs so I'm sure someone will be able to tell you if you keep popping back to see. :)

[Trixiebelle]

I sow mine in  old plastic gutters ...Then when they are ready for planting outside..I water them well ,Make a shallow furrow in the ground  and just slide them into it out of the gutter, They slide out easy if wet...cheers jim

What a FANTASTIC idea  ;D Thanks for that tip! I've got a load of spare guttering and some brackets on the greenhouse 'walls' that I can balance them on!

I'm glad I joined this site  ;D

Trixie X

[Larkspur]

Curry, any wrinkled pea becomes a marrowfat when it is dried, sothere is no specific variety as such. Sorry to be a "clever clogs" grawrc. ;D

[grawrc]

Hey Larkspur,don't get me wrong and especially  don't be sorry!  :o It's all the cleverclogs that make this site what it is: friendly helpful experts ready to share their knowledge with  the likes of me! :-* :-* :P

[Larkspur]

No problem grawrc 8)

[pakaba]

Hi
Thanks for all the advice  ;D  lots to work on and think about.

Pakaba