overwintering peas

[aquilegia]

have got early onward and kelvedon wonder. can either of these be overwintered? if yes, when should they be sown and do they need protection. (in greater London)

[aquilegia]

[Big Gee]

have got early onward and kelvedon wonder. can either of these be overwintered? if yes, when should they be sown and do they need protection. (in greater London)

Both are candidates as they are both early varieties. In fact they are the two varieties that I grow on my plot - but for spring sowing. "Meteor" is generally the popular choice of pea with many for autumn sowing. This variety is generally regarded as fully winter hardy, in terms of temperature, but very much at the mercy of strong winds (as many 'so-called' winter hardy varieties are), strong winds can break any tender stems on pea plants. Meteor is also very dwarf in habit, although the small pods are well filled and very tasty. I personally prefer the taller varieties in fairer weather!!

I've given up on autumn sowing peas, as it doesn't seem worthwhile for the benefit gleaned. Far better I find is to grow a first early in the spring, if you want an early crop. I'm not much of a fan of autumn sown onions either, again the benefits - when weighed up against the effort and potential losses when planted in the open - seem hardly worth it. Added to that is the clay levels and resultant cold and clammy soil on my plot in winter. A lot depends on the drainage capability and temperature of your soil. I think the London area - although having a relatively warm climate, is mostly clay isn't it?

However these are my personal opinions, I know many gardeners who would never forsake autumn sowings!

[Digeroo]

I got peas through winter 2011/12 with temperatures here of -16.  They had bottle cloches over.  Forgot last year. Rather missed have a nibble in April. But that is all I got. Nice for browsing.  I used Meteor.

I put each bottle with several canes through to keep them on, any that blew off the peas just disappeared.  I assume the voles come out and clear them but we have lots of other candidates.  I do not think it is just the wind, since the entire plant goes.

I do not do bare soil, so do like the winter sowings.   Onions usually do well.   Thanks for reminding me I must find a space.

[BarriedaleNick]

I am going to forsake my winter sowings this year and concentrate on getting some early peas and onions going.
My past attempts at overwintering peas have been abysmal and I did so much better with onions from seed in the spring than I did over winter that I  think I am going to stick with garlic and broad beans for over wintering.  Everything else can wait!
Like digeroo I am not a fan of bare earth so I may get some green manure - though it may be a little late.
Yep Big Gee most of us in London are on clay or not far from it.  A friend down the road makes lovely ceramics - very arty.  You wouldn't credit it by looking at them that she digs the clay from her plot in Honour Oak!!  It's a bastard to dig but it can be very productive - esp if you have a kiln!

[aquilegia]

hmm... maybe we'll not bother then. I'm just too keen to get the children to sow something! they'll have to wait for the broad beans.

home soil is heavy clay. school soil is in raised beds and beautiful. I think they must've replaced it with something better before we took over the garden!

[Big Gee]

. . . . Yep Big Gee most of us in London are on clay or not far from it.  A friend down the road makes lovely ceramics - very arty.  You wouldn't credit it by looking at them that she digs the clay from her plot in Honour Oak!!  It's a bastard to dig but it can be very productive - esp if you have a kiln!

Guessed as much - they didn't build the London Brick Company (LBC) there for nothing - we even have LBC bricks here in Wales!

Clay is usually very fertile - as long as you're young and energetic enough to work at it! Otherwise it is an acursed medium from October to April! And when it does start to behave the sun dries it up into bricks! 

[Big Gee]

hmm... maybe we'll not bother then. I'm just too keen to get the children to sow something! they'll have to wait for the broad beans.

home soil is heavy clay. school soil is in raised beds and beautiful. I think they must've replaced it with something better before we took over the garden!

Just a thought, but have you considered how disappointed they'd be if they sowed things like peas in autumn and then didn't see any peas at the end of it? I hope I'm not being a "Job's comforter"!

If you have raised beds, have thought about putting hoops in and covering some of them with polythene? They could grow lots of things over winter in a warm mini polytunnel environment  . . . just a thought . . .

[aquilegia]

Good idea about the mini polytunnel. They did have some hoops last year, but i'm not sure where they are now. must ask.

[brown thumb]

I've  seen  hoola hoops   used  as support for plastic mini cloches. Being a school there must some old ones not in use ,just cut in half place over canes , job done

[Big Gee]

I've  seen  hoola hoops   used  as support for plastic mini cloches. Being a school there must some old ones not in use ,just cut in half place over canes , job done

Excellent idea! What I had in mind was blue alkathene water piping, but your suggestion sounds even better - seeing as there should be plenty of hola hoops lying around at a school (or at least there was in my day - do modern kids play with hoola hoops these days? More to the point are they allowed to use such 'dangerous' playground toys!? 

[artichoke]

Ha ha, that reminds me of running children's races at our village fete one year. I was just handing out sacks for the sack race when a solicitor acquaintance came up and told me sack races were against health and safety advice.

All I could say was that I had borrowed the sacks from the village primary school, and all the children here, as far as I could tell, had already used them at their school.

He went away.

[pumkinlover]

Ha ha, that reminds me of running children's races at our village fete one year. I was just handing out sacks for the sack race when a solicitor acquaintance came up and told me sack races were against health and safety advice.

All I could say was that I had borrowed the sacks from the village primary school, and all the children here, as far as I could tell, had already used them at their school.

He went away.

I thought he might have hung around in case he missed a litigation opportunity!!

[Big Gee]

Ha ha, that reminds me of running children's races at our village fete one year. I was just handing out sacks for the sack race when a solicitor acquaintance came up and told me sack races were against health and safety advice.

All I could say was that I had borrowed the sacks from the village primary school, and all the children here, as far as I could tell, had already used them at their school.

He went away.

EXCELLENT - one up for the old school of common sense!

On the basis of your post I rest my case!!!!