I need to plant my module sown Alderman this week (about 15cm tall and developing tendrils) and I'm not sure - do they need protection from a little light ground frost which is predicted or not?
Logistically fleecing is tricky because I'm planting them up against a straight net this year so if it's not necessary I won't muck about trying.
Thanks
As long as they've germinated they're OK; it's the seeds that tend to rot. They're still vulnerable to pigeons though, so watch out, and be prepared to net them if necessary. Fleecing would be awkward as you need the growing tips to get above pigeon height.
We've the first rootrainer tray of Alderman waiting in the coldframe for the weekend to plant out
If 'acclimatised' they'll be fine with cold, but pigeons are a bugger round here so I'll wrap some fleece round ours to hide them till they're taller :D
Thanks, I won't fleece then.
But, coming back to the pigeons. I asked before, but I'm still unsure and seeing as both of you have them - you protect the peas until what height? And then when they're podding do you protect them again?
I protected the baby plants last year and had some magnificent mature specimens but something ate all the peas bar a bowl full. I couldn't net them because I got carried away with a beautiful frame design which was completely impractical. Lovely construction though :-\
Pigeons will attack at any stage, but once the peas are well established they will only eat a fraction, while when small they can destroy them.
After about a foot high the should be safe if there are plenty of them.
You could always sow a second row next to the first and not protect it especially for the beasts.
You can see a few tips on :-
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_peas.html
I don't klnow quite what happens with short peas, though I'm growing a few this year so no doubt I'll find out. With tall ones, I get problems at two stages. the first is the seedling stage. As Allaboutliverpool said, they're past this at about a foot high. Then I get problems again as the crop matures. Pods under a foot above the ground are likely to get eaten, and they land on the tops of the plants and have the peas there. So I'll be going all out to deter them again at that point.
Agree with all the above ;D
Tall peas (Alderman and Epicure from HSL) we tend to plant on the inside of a wigwam and wrap fleece round outside to keep skyrats off. Once they're in pod only the very lowest and highest pods are seem to get snaffled, which is only a small proportion of the crop ::)
Short peas (Greenshaft)
After years of unsuccessfully battling the skyrats with various wire and netting contraptions I gave up, extended the fruit cage and grow a 15ft row in there - no losses at all ;D