peas sprouting

[Philbasford]

The pea seeds ive planted straight in ground are not sprouting very well so i am going to put sum in pots and start of inside.  I am thinking of soaking the peas  in water first .  Do people find this helps and if so how long do u normally soak them for?

[Philbasford]

[bupster]

I don't, usually find they're fine in the ground but they take a while - unless something's been eating yours?

[Philbasford]

yes i am thinking that they have been nibbled

[sawfish]

I've got my tall pea plants planted outside now. Hope its not too early?

[grawrc]

I can't sow direct outside: they are eaten by rodents. I put them in a tray on kitchen towelling with a bit of water to keep it moist and wait for them to produce a shoot. Then In plant them and they seem to do fine. I don't know what the difference is in the rodent mind, but they don't seem to eat them once sprouted.

[manicscousers]

just planted out our second gutterfull of meteor  :)

[Trevor_D]

I can't direct sow because of problems with mice, so I sow in 4-foot lengths of guttering. No problems in the past. This year, the ones I sowed in the GH at the allotment all got eaten by mice as soon as the first shoots appeared. So - being cunning - I sowed the next lot in the GH at home, where two cats prowl around. Guess what? All the peas were eaten by mice as soon as the first shoots appeared!

Anyone want two useless cats?

[manicscousers]

we suspend our from the crop bars on wire, mind you,they can probably tightrope walk  ;D

[Trevor_D]

In both cases, mine were suspended under the bench!

[manicscousers]

told you, just imagine them in tutu's and spangly tights  ;D

[Norfolk n Proud]

just planted out our second gutterfull of meteor  :)

Hi Manics, i have some guttering but i'm not sure how to use it for peas, please enlighten me. ???

[davyw1]

Andy you are now enlightened

[manicscousers]

we just fill it with multi compost, sow the seed every couple of inches, usually 2 or 3 rows, water, when the roots are meshed together, dig a trench,make sure the soil's wet,  push one end of the pea soil and it slides, sometimes not tidily if they're not meshed enough, into the trench  ;D
we also drill holes in the side, thread wire through and hang it up on the crop bars in the poly
just seen davyw's pic, excellent  ;D

[grawrc]

I'll probably use that system when I retire and can keep an eye on them but for the moment I prefer sprouting the peas at home.

[Norfolk n Proud]

Andy you are now enlightened

Indeed i am enlightened, a great idea that!!  Thanks Davy, Manics. :)

[sawfish]

AAARGH! Pigeons got at them. Hopefully there's enough growth left on them to keep going though.

I LOATHE wood pigeons, unless they're on a plate  >:(

[Robert_Brenchley]

So do I. I cloche mine.