runner beans and peas

[gardening giraffe]

Is it best to germinate peas and beans in the greenhouse and then plant them or put directly into the allotment????  and  can I cover them with 2 litre pop bottles until they're taller?? was thinking about birds getting at them  :o

[gardening giraffe]

[grotbag]

hi, I always do them both ways just in case i lot fails

[gardening giraffe]

Thanks Grotbag!  Will do that then  ;D

[flowerlady]

covering them up with some sort of cover is definitely a good idea ...

I'm having a battle with the meeces who have just discovered me newly emerging peas and beans that I started off in loo rolls, in a cold frame on the patio.   >:(

[legless]

i had no success with peas and beans sown direct, i started the runners indoors in paper pots, and the peas in guttering about a foot off the ground, i think this helped keep the mice out and the pea and bean weevil away until the plants were a few inches high and big enough to take it.

[adrianhumph]

Hi all,   :D
               With peas I have found that if you  chit them prior to sowing, good results are to be had. To do this soak the peas in in cold water in a shallow dish or tray, just covering the top. Refresh the water 24 hours later, but this time do not completely cover the peas, leave the top bit above the water line, by the second day you should see  a sprout emerging from each pea, next day sow. I have done this with my oregon sugar snap peas, they went into gutters 3 weeks ago after chitting, in a cold frame with no heat, & every one is now up & when the weather gets warmer they will just be slipped into a trench in the ground  ;D
                                                              Adrian.

[MikeB]

Hi all,   :D
               With peas I have found that if you  chit them prior to sowing, good results are to be had. To do this soak the peas in in cold water in a shallow dish or tray, just covering the top. Refresh the water 24 hours later, but this time do not completely cover the peas, leave the top bit above the water line, by the second day you should see  a sprout emerging from each pea, next day sow. I have done this with my oregon sugar snap peas, they went into gutters 3 weeks ago after chitting, in a cold frame with no heat, & every one is now up & when the weather gets warmer they will just be slipped into a trench in the ground  ;D
                                                              Adrian.

Added to the wiki

[bennettsleg]

you should see  a sprout emerging from each pea, next day sow.

Which way up do you sow them? Sprouty bit up or sprouty bit down?

[supersprout]

Good news is, you can just throw them down and M. Nature will do the rest!
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,16824.0
:D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Don't sprout them till the sopil warms up. This year I plan to use cloches to warm the soil up before I plnat; that way I should be able to get them in before too long. Hopefully!