The general advice seems to be to pinch out the stem when it reaches about 4 inches, to encourage bushy growth. Does this apply to *all* types of pea? At the moment, I have Golden Sweet Mange Tout growing well in the lean-to, I've pinched some and not others - the un-pinched are up to about 8 or 10 inches.
If you're trying to save space in the garden, would it be an option not to pinch them but to allow them to grow upwards, therefore taking up vertical space rather than horizontal space? Or does the plant simply get more productive if you pinch out?
Does the advice also apply to sweet peas?
Pea novice here. :)
Hi Helen, i'm a first timer on peas aswell, still got mine on the window ledge at the mo and will be planting out at the weekend, planning to do them in hanging baskets with sweetpeas and grow them over and around a pagoda type structure i have at bottom of garden, (photo in gallery of where I'm putting them), possibly not gonna pinch mine out and let them go wild, good luck with yours and let me know how the pinching out works for you :)
I never pinch out my peas but a couple of chaps on the site pinch out the growing tips when they reach the top of the supports.
I pinch out sweet peas but never pinch out my eating peas.... :-\
Well, I suppose I can run a little experiment! I pinched about half of my Golden Sweet, I shall leave it at that and see what happens. :)
I have sweet peas just sprouted, haven't decided yet what I'll do with those; I have some time yet to decide. Also I've just planted Feltham First peas.
I guess it makes most sense to grow them to the top of the support before pinching them out? Oooooh, so much to learn... :D
I'd better get digging that bed for my peas and beans.
I have never understood why people insist on 'pinching' the tips out.
Nine times out of ten they will grow them as cordons in any case ???
If you dont pinch the tips out, once they have reached the top of the support you can untie them and lay them along the base of the canes, then start training the tip up the canes again.
Meaning; if you normally use 6 ft canes you have the potential to effectively create 12 ft tall plants meaning extra flowers.
Then they don't remove the tendrils!! which to my mind, is more important, as it is these that sap the strength of a plant/s thus reducing the flower power!
Then when you think of garden peas that are sown direct, these are strewn into a shallow trench and allowed to grow up pea sticks etc meaning there is no point in tipping out!!.(in my opinion)
Fantastic, thanks for that TeeGee. I'm going to do it your way, makes much more sense. I'll be interested to see how my pinched and non-pinched Golden Sweet differ. :)
What is meant by 'tendrils'? Presumably the plant uses the twirly tendrils to cling on and stabilise itself - would it not be more prone to wind damage if you remove those?
I never pinch off the tops of anything, peas or sweet peas. A lot of people do because they were told to at some time and are convinced that it is necessary.
Well it isn't, we have compared end results on the plots and there is no one can spot the difference.
Quotewould it not be more prone to wind damage if you remove those?
I presume we are discussing sweet peas if so then the answer is .........Yes!!
But you use sweet pea rings, soft string or twist ties to hold them on to the support.
You don't remove the tendrils on garden peas.
last year i planted 2 6 ft rows of the same variety pea (early onward).
One row was cut with shears down to 2 inches high when they reached about 5 inches.
this row produced nearly twice as many flowers, and consequently twice as many peas!
why don't we start an experiment on the board? ;)
Great idea, Tony! How interesting, there is definitely a major division into camps, on this one. I've already started my own experiment with the Golden Sweet, I may pinch a few plants of each variety I plant, and see what happens. However, I don't have much space in my garden, so it may be difficult to create test conditions, i.e. have plants in positions with equal sunshine, and so on. Might be easier to run this test on an actual allotment.
If you are using the golden sweet as Mangetout, remember to pick the pods small, they soon get stringy... :)
Thanks for the tip, Saddad. (I think you should change your name to HappyDad). :D